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Portraits  of  Great  Men 
and  Women  of  Our  Time 

With  Interesting  Testimonials  by  the 

Most  Prominent  Art  Critics  and  Leading  Men  of  Intellect 

of  France,  England,  Switzerland  and  America 


THE  BOSTON  GLOBE,  September,  17,  1916. 

Paints  World's  Elect 

August   Benziger's   Portraits   are   of  the 
Eminent  Men  and  Women  of  Europe 
and  the  United  States 
By  a.  J.  Philpott 

A.  Benziger  is  one  of  the  world's  great  portrait 
painters  and  there  is  nothing  that  is  much  more 
nerve-racking  than  conscientious  portrait  paint- 
ing.   An  artist  must  be  keyed  up  to  what  might 


For  there  is  probably  no  other  painter  in  the 
world  who  has  painted  portraits  of  so  many  dis- 
tinguished people,  both  in  Europe  and  in  this 
country.  When  you  look  through  the  album  of 
photographs  from  his  paintings  you  feel  as  if  this 
man  had  selected — or  had  been  selected  to  paint 
— the  men  and  women,  especially  the  men,  who 
have  figured  most  prominently  in  this  age;  the 
men  who  have  stood  for  something  in  the  world. 
He  just  naturally  seems  to  like  to  paint  the 
portraits  of  such  people,  and  evidently  they  just 
as  naturally  like  to  have  their  portraits  painted 
by  him.  And  there  is  a  reason  for  this — several 
reasons. 


Portrait  ly  A.  Benziger 

WALLACE  H.   ROWE 

of   Pittsburgh,   Pa. 

President  of  the  Pittsburgh  Steel  and  Wire  Co. 

be  termed  "concert  pitch"  all  the  time  he  is 
working  on  a  portrait  if  he  would  paint  that 
portrait  in  a  manner  to  satisfy  both  himself  and 
the  sitter.  For  his  patrons  are  among  the 
"elect"  of  the  world  and  that  makes  the  re- 
sponsibility all  the  greater.  His  position  was 
very  well  defined  by  an  admirer,  who  said: 

"  If  your  portrait  had  been  painted  by  Copley 
in  Colonial  days  it  would  be  proof  that  you  were 
among  the  'elect'  of  that  period;  if  j'our  portrait 
is  painted  to-day  by  Benziger  it  shows  you  are 
among  the  'elect'  of  to-day." 

In  an  age  of  such  great  portrait  painters  as  we 
have  to-day  this  might  seem  like  an  extravagant 
statement,  but  when  you  consider  the  jjepple 
whose  portraits  Au^ijst;  Benz^ge^  ;lk^»;naitited 
you  have  to  admit 'th^T  forc-j  6t  tha-'aiseution. 


Portrait  hy  A,  Benziger 

MRS.  WALLACE  H.   ROWE 

He  is  a  Cosmopolitan 

One  reason  lies  in  the  personality  of  the  man 
himself.  That  personality  of  his  carries  con- 
viction. He  not  only  knows  how  to  paint  people, 
but  he  knows  how  to  handle  them.  He  is  a  big 
man  himself,  in  pltysique,  in  temperament  and 
in  intellect — a  man  of  the  world — a  cosmopoli- 
tan. He  knows  and  understands  the  big  things 
of  the  world  and  he  is  an  admirer  of  the  men  and 
women  who  are  associated  with  the  big  things  of 
the  world.  He  has  painted  several  of  the  Popes 
and  Cardinals  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church; 
several  of  the  Presidents  of  the  Swiss  republic; 
three  of  the  Presidents  of  the  United  States — all 
from  life — -President  Diaz  of  Mexico;  a  number 
of  eminent  French  and  English  statesmen  and  a 


whole  gallery  ot  the  merchant  prii 
financiers  and  eminent  men  generall; 
country. 

Mr.  Benziger  is  a  portrait  painter.  He  aims 
to  get  a  likeness  of  the  person  he  is  painting  and 
in  that  likeness  he  aims  to  get  the  strong 
characteristics  of  the  person — of  the  face.  And 
the  pose  is  largely  dictated  by  the  strongest 
characteristic  of  the  person. 

In  this  he  centers  attention  on  the  eyes,  for  he 
finds  that  the  strongest  characteristics  of  nearly 


rSOM    THE    PBESIBENI.S    OPPICE 
TO  THE  roiVEESITY  LIBEAEY 


IS  a 
you 
con- 
siderate,   'that  IS  it  iL..i.„. _.  ^  that 

it  is  a  veritable  summary  of  the  man  who  con- 
tracts to  supply  nations  with  their  necessities 
in  iron  and  steel,  for  either  peace  or  war,  as 
other  men  contract  to  do  a  piece  of  work  for  a 
firm  or  an  individual. 

It  is  this  summarizing  of  a  man's  character 
in  his  portrait  that  makes  Benziger  popular  with 


Two  representative  young  Americans,  painted  for  their  families, 
before  leaving  for  the  front,  in  France 


Portrait   61/  A.   Benziger  Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

MR.    HENRY   C.   GIBSON  MR.   HENRY   G.    BROCK 

of    Philadelphia  of  Philadelphia 

Grandsons  of  Mr.   Henry  Gibson,  who   gave  to  the  Pennsylvania    Academy    of    Fine    Arts    its    first    and 

finest  art  collection 


every  individual  center  around  the  eyes  and 
radiate  from  the  eyes  to  the  forehead,  the  nose, 
mouth  and  chin.  The  life  story  is  not  only 
told  in  the  eyes,  but  the  dominant  characteristic 
— the  personality — of  the  individual  is  in  the  eyes 
and  in  the  expression  of  the  eyes.  In  this  respect 
his  work  reminds  one  of  Lenbach,  the  famous 
German  portrait  painter  who  painted  so  many 
portraits  of  Prince  Bismarck.  He  was  the  only 
painter  who  sensed  the  power  in  Bismarck's  eyes. 

You  feel  this  in  Mr.  Benziger's  portrait  of  the 
present  Pope — Pope  Benedict  XV — the  spiritual 
power  and  kindliness  and  the  fine  dignity.  In 
the  portrait  of  J.  Pierpont  Morgan  you  feel  all 
of  the  keen  penetration  of  the  financier's  wonder- 
ful eyes,  and  the  decision  of  the  jaw,  with  the 
powerful  intellect  behind  it  all. 

In  the  remarkable  portrait  of  Charles  M. 
Schwab  you  see  the  calm,  comprehensive  look 


such    people 
them. 


-they    feel    that    he    understands 


Becomes  an  Artist 

If  August  Benziger  had  not  been  swept  into 
art  by  his  own  early  inclinations  he  would  un- 
doubtedly have  become  a  successful  business 
man — for  he  knows  human  nature  in  the  broad 
and  the  long.  His  father  was  one  of  the  biggest 
book  publishers  in  Switzerland,  and  the  father 
did  not  desire  that  his  son  should  become  a 
painter;  but  the  fates  and  August  Benziger  him- 
self decided  otherwise,  and  he  ran  away  from  his 
home  in  Brunnen  early  in  life  to  study  art  in  Paris. 
There  he  studied  at  the  Juhen  and  Beaux  Arts, 
exhibited  at  the  Salon  and — what  was  more  im- 
portant than  schools  or  teachers — got  into  the 
atmosphere  and  caught  the  fine  enthusiasm  of 
the  Parisian  art  world.     Paris  welcomes  those 


^6789 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

COLONEL  D.  C.  POOLE 
Madison,   Wis. 

who  can  do  or  those  who  are  strugghng  to  do, 
regardless  of  creed,  color,  race  or  nationality. 
It  is  the  one  real  cosmopolis  of  the  world. 
In  Benziger  there  was  a  desire  to  see  and  know 
and  paint  the  portraits  of  the  really  great  people 
in  the  world.  He  found  the  world  in  the  faces 
of  men  and  women — found  what  the  world  had 
done  to  those  faces  and  somewhat  of  what  the 
faces  had  done  to  and  for  the  world.  These 
human  documents  were  the  realities  of  life  and 
history  for  him.  These  were  the  men  who  had 
forced  themselves  from  obscurity  to  places  of 
distinction  in  the  world.  And  there  were  the 
others  on  whom  fortune  had  always  smiled; 
those  who  had  been  "born  in  the  purple."  Both 
were  interesting,  but  somehow  you  feel  that  this 
man  has  a  keener  sympathy  with  those  who  have 
toiled  and  conquered  than  with  those  who  have 
not  been  obliged  to  wage  the  battles  of  silence 
with  themselves. 

Famous  Portraits  of  Schwab 

You  feel  that  he  has  as  great  a  respect  for 
Schwab  as  for  J.  Pierpont  Morgan,  and  he  was  a 
profound  admirer  of  the  latter,  and  you  feel  that 
he  has  a  finer  sympathy  with  such  prelates  as 
Cardinal  Gibbons  and  Cardinal  Farley — men 
who  have  risen  by  sheer  force  of  ability — than 
for  prelates  who  were  members  of  great  families. 
The  portraits  which  he  has  painted  of  these  two 
distinguished  churchmen  seem  to  convey  that 
impression.     They  are  vital  portraits. 

It  is  only  possible  to  pick  here  and  there  from 
the  many  portraits  he  has  painted  a  few  of  those 
that  happen  to  catch  the  eye  for  some  occult 
reason.  There  is  one  portrait  of  Roosevelt  in 
which  you  seem  to  feel  all  of  the  leonine  strength 
of  the  man — the  determination  and  force. 
There  is  another  in  which  you  seem  to  feel  the 
intellectual  qualities  of  the  man. 

The  portrait  of  Diaz  reminds  one  almost  of 
Bismarck.  There  is  power  in  the  face.  The 
portrait  of  McKinley  is  full  of  that  sweet  pa- 
tience that  characterized  the  man.     The  portrait 


of  Taft,  painted  before  he  was  President,  shows 
him  as  the  diplomat.  The  portrait  of  the 
venerable  United  States  Senator  Cullom  is  as 
fine  a  bit  of  character  painting  as  it  is  possible 
to  conceive.  It  was  painted  in  the  Senate 
chamber  from  life — the  only  portrait  ever 
painted  in  that  chamber. 

In  the  portrait  of  Albert  S.  Caldwell  of 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  you  see  a  fine  type  of  the  men 
who  have  made  the  "New  South,"  and  in  the 
portrait  of  Gen.  Luke  E.  Wright  you  see  the 
born  organizer  and  leader.  In  the  portrait  of 
Richard  Croker  you  see  the  dominating  force  of 
the  man,  and  in  that  of  United  States  Senator 
O'Gorman  you  seem  to  see  a  good  deal  of  the 
idealist  in  a  face  that  is  marked  with  rare 
strength.  In  the  face  of  President  Forrer  of 
Switzerland  you  see  the  type  that  is  plainly 
paternal — the  father  among  his  people. 

What  fight  and  determination  there  is  in  the 
face  of  Henry  Phipps,  the  old  partner  of 
Carnegie;  and  what  thoughtfulness  in  the  face 
of  Fayette  Brown  of  Cleveland.  There  is  fine 
strength  and  comprehensiveness  in  the  portrait 
of  George  C.  Jenkins  of  Baltimore,  and  somehow 
you  feel  the  same  qualities  in  the  face  of  Michael 
Jenkins.  There  is  intellectual  power  and  keen 
penetration  in  the  portrait  of  U.  T.  Hungerford 
of  New  York,  and  there  is  both  force  and  in- 
tellect in  that  of  John  Markle  of  New  York. 

Portraits  of  Guild  and  Phipps 

The  portrait  of  Hon.  Curtis  Guild,  painted 
while  he  was  Ambassador  to  Russia,  is  thought- 


Portrait  hy  A.  lienxigcr 

CAPTAIN  JOHN  HUDSON   POOLE 
of  Detroit,   Michigan 


ful  and  suggestive  of  the  responsibilities  he 
bore  at  that  time.  The  portrait  of  Alexander 
Graham  Bell  is  veritably  a  "speaking"  likeness, 
and  the  portrait  of  J.  H.  Patterson  of  Dayton, 
Ohio,  is  full  of  that  nervous  energy  that  char- 
acterizes the  man.  There  are  others  in  which 
you  seem  to  see  the  life  history  of  the  men;  and 
they  are  all  men  who  have  done  something  sub- 
stantial in  the  world. 

In  his  portraits  of  women  August  Benziger 
aims  to  get  the  leading  feminine  characteristic, 
and  he  finds  much  of  this  in  the  eyes,  but  he  also 
finds  much  in  the  grace  of  form  of  his  sitters. 
You  feel  these  qualities  in  his  portraits  of  Mme. 
de  Truffin;  in  that  of  Mrs.  John  B.  Semple; 
in  that  of  Miss  Isabel  Pereda  of  Buenos  Aires; 
in  that  of  Miss  Gloria  Castella  of  Havana,  and 
in  that  of  Miss  Edith  Tener  of  Sewickley,  Pa., 
and  you  see  that  he  is  keenly  sensitive  to  the 
maternal  side  of  woman  in  the  pictures  of 
mothers  and  children  he  has  painted. 

It  is  certainly  a  wonderful  series  of  portraits 
which  this  man  has  painted.  He  is  fortunate, 
however,  in  one  woman  whose  portrait  he  has 
yet  to  paint — Mrs.  August  Benziger.  Her 
charm  and  tact,  and  her  fine  sense  and  under- 
standing are  important  factors  in  his  success. 
She  and  their  three  daughters  make  the  home 
life  the  fine  and  necessary  complement  to  all 
the  wear  and  tear  and  anxiety  of  painting 
portraits. 


Portrait  ly  A.  Benziger 

PROFESSOR  JOHN  A.  BRASHEAR 
The  well-known  astronomer,  one  of  Pittsburgh's 
most  dearly  beloved  citizens,  who  has  received 
nearly  all  possible  degrees  from  the  universities 
in  this  country  and  Europe.  Designated  by 
Governor  Brumbaugh  as  Pennsylvania's  most  dis- 
tinguished citizen 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

CHARLES  F.  BROOKER 

of  Ansonia,  Conn. 
President  American  Brass  Co.,  Chairman  of  Com- 
mittee on  Brass  National  Council  of  Defense. 
Honorable  A.  M.  Yale  University.  Vice-Presi- 
dent Board  N.  Y.,  N.  H.  &  H.  R.  R.  Co.  Director 
N.  Y.,  Ont.  &  Western  Ry.  Co.;  U.  S.  Smelting, 
Refining  &  Mining  Co.;  Second  National  Bank, 
New  Haven;  First  National  Bank,  Boston;  Co- 
lonial  Trust   Co.,   Waterbury,   etc.,   etc. 

Mr.  Benziger  has  a  studio  in  Brunnen, 
Switzerland,  and  one  in  New  York.  He  is 
Swiss  by  birth,  American  by  adoption,  but  a 
man  of  the  world  in  thought  and  in  action. 


PARIS,  JOURNAL   DE  L'ATLANTIQUE 

Auguste  Benziger 

A  Great  Painter  of  Portraits 

By  H.  Villiers  B.\rnett 

Louis  Robin,  Redacteur  en  chef,  Paris. 

There  are  not  more  than  five  leading  portrait- 
painters  to-day  in  the  whole  world:  Auguste 
Benziger  is  one  of  them.  He  is  one  of  them  by 
reason  of  three  things:  The  great  number  of  his 
commissions;  the  social  pre-eminence  and,  in 
many  cases,  the  world-wide  interest  of  his  sitters; 
and  his  astonishing  and  original  technical 
powers.     The  powers  explain  the  vogue. 

The  essence  of  potraiture  is  likeness;  and  like- 
ness is  the  instantly  striking  and  alluring  quality 
of  every  portrait  that  the  one  is  physical,  the 
other  psychological,  truth.  The  one,  even  in  its 
simplest,  most  material  manifestation,  involves 
the  highest  technical  skill;  the  other,  even  at  its 
lowest  significance,  involves  the  keenest  insight 
into  mind  and  soul.  For  while  nothing  physical 
is  so  difficult  to  paint  as  the  quality  of  flesh, 
nothing  spiritual  is  so  complex  and  elusive  as 
the  expression   of  a   sitter's   soul.     Thus,    the 


Portrait  iy  A.  Benziger 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 


MR.  AND  MRS.  JAMES  HARTNESS 
of  Springfield,  Vermont 
James  Hartness,  an  author  and  inventor,  having  over  100  American  patents,  best  known  as  the 
inventor  and  manufacturer  of  the  flat  turret  lathe;  inventor  of  the  turret  equatorial  telescope,  and 
at  his  residence  in  Springfield  may  be  seen  the  only  underground  observatory  in  the  country.  His 
honorary  degrees  are  M.  E.  of  the  University  of  Vermont  and  M.  A.  of  Yale  University.  Chair- 
man of  the  State  Board  of  Education  of  Vermont.  Past  President  of  the  American  Society  of  Mechan- 
ical Engineers;  a  Fellow  of  the  American  Association  for  Advancement  of  Science,  and  of  the 
Royal  Astronomical  Society.  Member  Astronomical  Society  of  American  Engineers  Club,  Machinery 
Club,  Royal   Society  Club   of  London,   British   Institute  of   Mechanical   Engineers,   American    Society  of 

Mechanical  Engineers,  etc. 


business  of  a  portrait-painter  is 
and  comprehend  the 
soul  of  his  sitter  and  ex- 
press it — eloquent,  lum- 
inous, living  —  through 
an  accurate  representa- 
tion of  the  purely  physi- 
cal phenomena  of  flesh, 
dress,  and  material  ac- 
cessories. It  is  the 
truthful  union  of  the 
two  that  always  has 
made,  and  ever  must 
make,  great  portrait- 
painters;  it  is  precisely 
because  he  unites  them 
truthfully  that  Auguste 
Benziger  is  verily  a 
great  portrait -painter. 
Among  the  very  ablest 
technicians  of  paint,  he 
is  a  master  of  shapes  and 
surfaces;  a  kcen-visioned 
commander  of  character 
he  is  one  of  the  most 
penetrating  and  subtle 
psychologists  since  IMor- 
land  in  England  and 
Ricard  in  France. 

His  command  of  char- 


to    discover 


Portrait 
MRS. 


acter,  of  the  individual  mind  and  spirit,  is  patent 
almost  at  a  glance,  to 
anyone  who  has  seen 
his  portraits  of  great 
men:  those  for  instance, 
of  Presidents  Roosevelt, 
TaftandMcKinley.  All 
these  are  documents  as 
vital  as  the  men  them- 
selves. To  see  the  por- 
trait is  to  know  the 
men.  There  are  scores 
of  portraits  of  leaders  of 
business,  captains  of  in- 
dustry, bankers,  priests, 
sportsmen,  thinkers, 
every  human  tjpe.  And 
they  are  all  so  vari- 
ous, so  individual,  so 
independent  of  each 
other  in  style  and  in 
feeling. 

But  the  force  of  Ben- 
ziger's  men  is  equalled 
by  the  fairness  of  his 
women  and  the  charm 
of  his  children.  He  is 
no  mere  specialist  in  a 
single  department.  He 
is  not  engaged,  as  are  so 


1)1/  A.  Benziger 

WORCESTER  REED  WARNER 
of  Cleveland 


Portrait  hy  A.  Benziger 

WILLIAM   K.   BIXBY 
President   of  the    St.    Louis    Museum   of   Art,   and 
owner    of    one    of    the    best    collections    of    manu- 
scripts and  missals  in  the  United   States 


Portrait  6j/  A.  Benziger  Copyrighted 

THE  LATE  J.  P.  MORGAN 
One  of  the  greatest  financiers  the  world  has  ever 
known.  The  portrait  is  not  only  an  exact  rep- 
resentation of  that  great  personality,  but  it  shows 
also  splendid  qualities  of  energy,  capacity  for 
work,  and  refinement 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

WORCESTER   R.   WARNER 
of  the  Warner   &   Swasey   Co. 
Constructor  of  the  Lick  Observatory  and  donor  of 
the   fund   for   art   bearing   his   name   at  the   Cleve- 
land  Art   Museum,   of  which   he   is  a  director 


Portrait  by  A. 


Partner   of   the 


Benziger 

S.    H.   KNOX 
of  Buffalo 
F.    W.   Woolworth   Co. 
of   the   Albright   Art    Museum 


Director 


many  Professional  Portrait-Painters,  in  turning 
sitter  after  sitter  into  the  same  mould — in  forcing 
every  diversity  of  humanity  to  lit  a  single  and 
unchanging  formula  of  facile  misrepresentation. 
On  the  contrary.  He  is  a  universal  artist,  who 
finds  a  new  formula  for  every  face,  and  solves 
the  individual  problem  of  every  character  by 
means  of  the  new  personal  equation  which  it 
and  art  demand.  Be  it  youth  or  age,  intellect 
or  beauty,  sheer  loveliness  or  rugged  force,  a 
man  of  affairs  or  a  woman  of  fashion,  mother- 
hood or  childhood,  a  great  ecclesiastic  or  a 
great  princess — whatsoever  he  sets  out  to  paint 
he  paints  with  an  in- 
tense determination  to 
e.xpress  the  essential 
character,  be  it  gracious 
or  grim.  A  seeker  of 
truth,  he  can  and  in- 
variably does  express 
it  in  all  its  phases.  He 
is  a  realist  alike  of  mas- 
culine force  and  of  fem- 
inine tenderness.  He 
is  as  masterly  in  the 
soul  of  grace  as  he  is 
masterful  in  the  spirit 
'  of  sternness.  He  is  the 
most  versatile  of  all 
the  portrait-painters  of 
our  time;  and  in  each 
direction  he  ranks 
among  the  greatest. 


To  the  art  expert 
nothing  is  more  inter- 
esting than  the  unus- 
ual technics  of  this 
great  painter  of  men, 
women  and  children. 
A  pupil  of  three  painters 
distinguished  by  strong 
technical  individuality 
he  has  evolved  a  power- 
ful stjde  of  his  own. 
In  the  style  of  Bcnziger 
you  can  trace   neither 

Muller's,  nor  Bouguereau's,  nor  Bonnat's.  It 
is  his  own:  as  solid  as  Bonnat's,  as  supple  and 
delicate  as  Gainsborough's.  Cabanel  never 
painted  flesh  more  wonderfully;  and  in  some 
portraits — the  Roosevelts,  for  instance — Sar- 
gent's miraculous,  uncanny  "nervousness"  is 
out-Sargented.  Invariably  the  style  grows 
from,  and  belongs  to,  the  subject.  Withal  he  is 
a  colorist:  a  magician  of  rich  contrasts  and 
gorgeous  harmonies,  as  well  as  of  the  tonal 
simplicities. 

The  portraits  here  reproduced,  wonderful 
as  they  are,  are  but  partially  representative  of 
this  painter's  profound,  impressive  genius.  They 
speak  for  themselves;  in  vigor  of  likeness,  in 
vivid  differentiation  of  character,  in  their  almost 
crushing  effects  of  vital  and  personal  significance. 
Strong  men — in  law  and  legislation,  in  State 
and  business — these  predominate;  but  Benziger's 
exquisite  gifts  in  the  portrayal  of  women  and 
children  are  also  represented.  However,  no 
reproduction   can  do    justice    to  the  originals' 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

JAMES    PHINNEY    BAXTER 

Historian  and  writer,  who  has  done  much  for  his 
home  city,  Portland,  Maine,  and  whose  latest 
book,  "The  Greatest  of  Literary  Problems,"  was 
the  authority  for  Judge  Tuthill's  decision  in  the 
recent   Shakespeare-Baconian   law   suit   in    Chicago 


power  and  charm.  Black-and-white  give  light 
and  shade,  but  not  color,  and  even  the  finest 
photo-engra\ing  misses  something  of  the  paint- 
ing's spiritual  force  and  mysteries. 

Ev'en  so,  these  prints  v'ividly  explain  why  so 
many  people  prefer  a  portrait  by  Benziger  to 
any  photograph  that  ever  was.  For  a  portrait 
by  him  is  not  merelj-  a  startling  likeness;  it  is 
life  itself;  the  body — and — the  soul. 

When  the  real  history  of  the  United  States 
in  the  past  twenty  years,  and  in  the  years  im- 
mediately to  come,  shall  be  written,  it  will  be 
found   that   Benziger's  portraits   are   the  most 
illuminating   and    con- 
vincing documents,  re- 
cording and  explaining 
the   characters    of    the 
nation's  representative 
men. 


BOSTON  NATIONAL 
MAGAZINE 

By  B.  p.  Stephenson 

To  have  painted  from 
life  the  portraits  of 
seven  presidents  of  re- 
publics and  of  two 
popes  is  a  boast  that 
very  few  artists  can 
make.  Such  is  the  rec- 
ord of  August  Benziger, 
and  to  the  gallery  of 
these  famous  person- 
ages he  has  added  car- 
dinals,  ambassadors, 
generals  of  armies  and 
captains  of  industry, 
statesmen  and  poli- 
ticians, men  of  almost 
every  calling,  of  every 
kind  of  type.  While 
limning  the  features 
and,  what  is  still  more 
important,  finding  the 
true  expression  of  his 
sitters'  souls,  the  artist,  with  searching  insight, 
has  seen  men  as  they  really  are,  and  has  gathered 
from  them  interesting  and  not  widely  known 
incidents  that  have  led  to  what  now  makes 
history.  So  when  you  sit  in  August  Benziger's 
New  York  studio  at  No.  140  West  o7th  Street, 
surrounded  by  life-like  portraits  of  notable  men, 
you  can  enjoy  many  a  delightful  hour  discuss- 
ing his  art,  and  hearing  him  outhne  the  little 
traits  of  character  of  his  famous  sitters  and  the 
interesting  talks  he  has  had  with  them. 

It  has  been  said  of  Mr.  Benziger  that  "his 
command  of  character,  of  the  individual  mind 
and  spirit,  is  patent  almost  at  a  glance,  to  any 
one  who  has  seen  his  portraits  of  great  men." 
Take  for  instance,  the  portrait  of  the  late  Curtis 
Guild,  ordered  by  him  for  the  Boston  State  House. 
The  portrait  of  President  Roosevelt  was 
painted  in  the  Blue  Room  for  the  Historical 
Museum  of  Chicago,  and  endorsed  by  Governor 
Guild  in  a  letter  to  the  artist  as  "by  all  odds  the 
verv  best  that  has  been  done." 


One  of  the  utterances  of  President  Roosevelt 
of  vital  interest  to  America  to-day  and  one  with 
which  Mr.  Benziger  wishes  President  Wilson 
would  take  the  same  view  as  the  former  Presi- 
dent, was  his  observation  that  the  Swiss  mili- 
tary system  was  the  best  in  the  world  and  would 
be  the  proper  one  for  this  country  to  adopt. 

In  painting  the  portrait  of  President  Taft, 
Mr.  Benziger  has  represented  him  as  the  man  of 
intellect  and  has  discarded  that  unctuous  grin 
with  which  it  seems  to  be  the  fashion  among 
most  portraitists  to  endow  him.  It  was  said 
of  the  portrait  of  Mr.  Taft  by  one  famous  foreign 
painter,  who,  because 
he  could  paint  joyous 
sea  beach  scenes, 
American  patrons  in- 
sisted he  must  also  be 
able  to  paint  portraits, 
that  fat  as  he  had  made 
Mr.  Taft,  the  portrait 
had  belittled  the  origi- 
nal. There  is  no  be- 
littHng  in  INIr.  Ben- 
ziger's  portrait.  You 
recognize  the  intellect 
and  big  heart  of  the 
sitter. 

Let  us  turn  to  Mr. 
Benziger's  Ecclesiasti- 
cal portraits.  That  of 
Pope  Leo  XIII  was 
painted  in  1893,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  famous 
of  the  artist's  works. 
It  has  been  held  by 
connoisseurs  to  be  far 
superior  to  those  by 
Lenbach,  Chartran  and 
Benjamin  Constant.  It 
is  so  intensely  human, 
it  is  the  kindly  aristo- 
crat combined  with  the 
astute  diplomat.  You 
see  the  man  as  he  really 
was  in  his  intimate  life, 
not  the  Head  of  the 
Church  posed  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  pomp 
of  State.  Some  hold  the 
Cardinal  Gibbons  por- 
trait to  be  a  finer  mas- 
terpiece even  than  that  of  Pope  Leo,  "a  full  im- 
pressive expression  of  the  Church,  the  Priest 
and  the  Man,"  as  it  has  been  called.  Grand 
modelling,  too,  is  there  in  the  head  of  Cardinal 
Farley. 

Quite  a  remarkable  work  is  the  portrait  of  J. 
Pierpont  Morgan.  Here  again  is  no  posing;  it 
is  the  very  man  himself,  caught  as  he  really  was 
and  without  his  giving  a  sitting,  for  even  the 
least  vain  of  men  cannot  help  putting  on  an 
e.xpression  not  true  to  himself  when  he  finds 
himself  posing  before  a  canvas.  And  the  way 
Mr.  Benziger  got  the  great  financier's  true  ex- 
pression is  interesting.  His  friend  Mr.  Bowdoin 
was  one  of  Mr.  Morgan's  partners.  This 
gentleman  gave  the  artist  plenty  of  opportunities 
of  seeing  Mr.  Morgan  at  work  in  his  office,  and 
of  making  studies   without  Mr.   Morgan  being 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

JOHN  PITCAIRN 
The  only  survivor  of  those  who  saved  the  life  of 
President  Lincoln  when  Pinkerton  had  discovered 
the  complot  to  assassinate  him  after  the  banquet 
on  Washington's  birthday  in  Harrisburg.  Mr. 
Pitcairn  at  that  time  was  connected  with  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad.  He  was  the  first  man  to 
use  natural  gas.  His  home  is  in  Philadelphia, 
and  he  was  formerly  associated  with  Carnegie 
and  Rockefeller  and  connected  with  many  of  the 
leading  institutions  in  America,  and  is  still  Presi- 
dent  of   the   Pittsburgh   Plate   Glass   Company 


aware  of  it.  The  artist  studied  him,  too,  in  the 
street,  he  studied  him  at  the  opera,  he  studied 
him  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum,  he  studied 
him  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  but  the  last 
studies  he  made  were  at  the  banking  house  in 
Wall  Street.  And  the  result  is  not  only  a  re- 
markable likeness,  but  the  painted  record  of  a 
leader  of  men  accustomed  to  command  and  to  be 
obeyed.  Here  indeed  is  a  real  human  docu- 
ment. Another  striking  likeness  and  also  a 
document  of  interest  is  the  portrait  of  Senator 
O'Gorman. 

Another  senatorial  portrait  of  particular  in- 
terest is  that  of  tlie 
late  Shelby  M.  Cullom 
of  Illinois.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1912,  Mr.  Ben- 
ziger was  asked  to  go 
to  Washington  to  paint 
a  portrait  of  Senator 
Cullom,  to  be  placed 
in  the  rooms  of  the 
Senate  Committee  of 
Foreign  Relations.  It 
was  arranged  that  the 
artist  should  make 
studies  of  the  Senator 
during  his  last  sitting 
in  the  Senate  when  he 
presented  his  last  two 
bills. 

Upon  the  completion 
of  the  portrait.  Sena- 
tors Root,  O'Gorman 
and  the  others  on  the 
committee  passed  on 
it,  and  Senator  Root 
remarked  that  the  last 
portrait  he  had  passed 
on  was  one  at  the  ]\Iet- 
ropolitan  Museum,  of 
which  he  is  a  director. 
He  congratulated  the 
artist  warmly,  sayinj; 
that  he  had  immor- 
talized Shelby  Cullom, 
representing  the  best  in 
the  last  fifteen  years  of 
his  life. 

But   it   must  not  be 
supposed  that  Mr.  Ben- 
ziger is  only  a  painter 
of  men.      He    has    portrayed   many  charming 
women,  and  his  children  are  delightful. 

Among  others  he  has  painted  the  Duchesse 
d'Aosta  (Princesse  Laetitia  Bonaparte)  of  Turin; 
Duchesse  de  Sermonete  and  Marquise  de  Rocca- 
giovine  of  Rome;  Princesse  Merschersky  of  St. 
Petersburg;  Marquise  de  Toulongeon  of  Paris; 
Princesse  Duleep-Singh  of  London  and  India; 
and  Mrs.  Charles  S.  Keith  of  Kansas  City;  Mrs. 
Lew  Wallace,  wife  of  the  author  of  "Ben  Hur"; 
and  Mrs.  Benjamin  Douglass,  Jr. 

His  very  first  fame  was  established  by  por- 
traits of  women,  and  while  painting  Made- 
moiselle Delasalle,  the  Prime  Minister  of  France, 
M.  Leon  Bourgeois,  was  several  times  present  at 
the  sittings  at  Mr.  Benziger's  studio.  This 
success  induced  the  Prime  Minister  to  have  his 
own  portrait  painted  by  the  artist. 


Mr.  Benziger  studied  at  Julian's  under  Bou- 
gucrcau,  and  afterward  became  a  pupil  of  Bonnat 
at  the  Beaux  Arts.  The  portrait  of  Leo  XIII, 
which  he  painted  when  he  was  twenty-six,  at- 
tracted great  attention  in  the  artist  world,  and 
since  then  his  career  has  been  one  of  uninter- 
rui)led  success. 

In  all  Mr.  Benziger's  career  he  has  never  had 
his  portraits  refused  at  an  exhibition,  and  has 


Bouguereau,    Detaille,    Carolus-Durand,    Aime 
Morot,  Roybet,  Gerome,  and  Chartran. 

Mr.  Benziger  is  no  believer  in  impressionism. 
He  is  satisfied  to  be  a  disciple  of  such  a  man  as 
Holbein  and  is  as  careful  about  modelling  hands 
as  he  is  about  the  features  of  the  face  and  gives 
prominence  in  his  work  to  the  eyes  as  the  mirror 
of  the  soul.  There  is  no  slap  dash  about  his 
work.     He  lays  in  his  jjortraits  as  carefully  as 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

MME.    REGIS    DU    REPAIRE    DE    TRUFFIN 
of   Havana,   Cuba 


Portrait  hy  A.  Benziger 

REGIS    DU    REPAIRE    DE    TRUFFIN 

of    Havana,    Cuba 

One  of  its  most  prominent  financiers  and  Russian 

Consul    General 


been  represented  in  the  most  exclusive  exhibits 
in  France,  such  as  the  Cercle  de  I'Union  Artis- 
tique  and  the  Cercle  Artistique  et  Litteraire,  as 
well  as  the  Salon.  At  the  only  two  world's  fairs 
to  which  he  sent  his  portraits,  they  were  not  only 
accepted,  but  rewarded.  ISIr.  Benziger  has 
been  made  a  knight  of  different  orders  and  also 
an  officer  and  commander. 

Mr.  Benziger  does  not  find  time  to  pay  atten- 
tion to  exhibitions,  but  was  invited  by  the 
.\cademy  of  Fine  Arts  in  Philadelphia  to  exhibit 
his  Roosevelt  portrait.  After  painting  Mr. 
Robert  S.  Brookings,  president  of  the  Washing- 
ton University  of  St.  Louis,  the  Museum  of  Fine 
Arts  made  a  special  exhibition  of  his  works,  as 
well  as  the  .Mliright  Gallery  of  Buffalo.  How- 
ever, Mr.  Benziger  has  taken  the  habit  of  making 
an  annual  exhibition  at  his  spacious  New  York 
studio.  As  far  back  as  1892  he  was  mentioned 
by  the  great  art  critics  of  Europe  with  such 
masters  as  Henner,  Benjamin-Constant,  Bonnat, 


did  the  old  masters.  The  result  is  that  his  flesh 
tones  painted  twenty  years  ago  are  as  fresh  as 
they  were  when  the  picture  left  the  easel,  and  his 
coloring,  for  Mr.  Benziger  is  a  colorist,  as 
brilliant. 


NEW    YORK  EVENING  POST,   Fchruary  5 
1895. — From  the  Wcstminslcr  Gazette,  London. 

A  Portrait  of  the  Pope 

.\t  last  an  artist  has  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
portrait  of  the  Pope  as  he  really  is.  So  far  Leo 
XIII  has  always  objected  to  be  immortalized  in 
any  picture  wearing  spectacles,  though  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  he  is  never  in  ordinary  life  without 
them.  Spectacles,  the  head  of  the  Church  of 
Rome  hath  it,  interfere  with  the  artistic  success 
of  a  portrait;  and  spectacles,  therefore,  he  will 
not  wear  when  he  is  sitting  to  a  photographer  or 


10 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

THE  LATE  CURTIS  GUILD 
Three  times  Governor  of  Massachusetts  and  ambassador  to  Russia 


artist.  Not  even  the  great  Lenbach  himself 
was  allowed  to  paint  the  Pope  other  than  in  an 
unnaturally  erect  position  and  without  glasses. 

Now  at  last,  a  Swiss  artist,  Mr.  Benziger,  has 
succeeded,  by  a  little  ruse  to  obtain  a  true  and 
very  interesting  likeness  of  the  fine  head  of 
Leo  XIII.  The  artist  was  among  those  who 
recently  obtained  an  audience  of  the  Pope.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  to  be  presented,  and  retired 
after  the  ceremony,  into  the  background,  where 
he  was  able  to  do  what  no  one  yet  had  succeeded 
in  doing,  namely,  to  get  a  sketch  in  profile  of  the 
Pope's  head  in  which  there  is  absolutely  no  posing. 

Leo  XIII  looks  an  old  man,  with  all  the  signs  of 
old  age  upon  him,  but  besides  these,  the  portrait 
also  shows  the  remarkable  vivacity  of  the  face 
which  is  characteristic  of  the  Pope  and  the 
absence  of  which  in  all  former  portraits  has 
struck  all  those  who  are  personally  acquainted 
with  the  man  in  the  chair  of  St.  Peter's. 


PITTSBURG  DISPATCH,  November  23,  1S9(). 

Pittsburgh's  Art  World  is  entertaining  Mr. 
August  Benziger  of  Paris  who  came  here  to  exe- 
cute several  portrait  commissions. 

The  European  papers  rank  him  with  such  men 
as  Dagnan-Bouveret,  Chartran,  Bonnat,  whose 
pupil  he  was,  Carolus  Durand,  Benjamin- 
Constant,  Bouguereau,  Roll,  Lefevre  and  Fran- 
cois Flameng. 

His  portraits  which  attracted  the  encomiums 
of  all  artistic  Europe  were  of  the  Duchess 
D'Aosta,  wife  of  the  former  King  of  Spain, 
Duchess  Sermoneta  of  Rome,  the  Swiss  Presi- 
dent Hauser;  Bourgeois  the  Minister-President 
of  France,  Brahms  the  composer;  Firmin-Didot, 
Hachette  and  Sir  Stuart  Knill,  Lord  Mayor  of 
London. 


Portrait   by  A.  Ben^Kjtr  Copyrighted 

HIS  EMINENCE  JOHN,  CARDINAL  FARLEY 

of  New  York 

With  the  artistic  spirit  now  growing  in  Pitts- 
burgh, the  presence  of  an  artist  of  such  note  is  a 
matter  of  general  interest  to  the  artists  and  art 
lovers  of  the  city. 


Portrait   by  A.  Jienziycr 

ARCHBISHOP   E.   F.   PRENDERGAST 
Philadelphia,   Pa. 


Portrait    by  A.   Benziytr 

HIS  HOLINESS,  LEO  XIII 


12 


Portrait  liy  A.  Bemiger  Copyrighted 

HIS  HOLINESS,  BENEDICT  XV 

This   portrait    was   painted    from   audiences   at   the 

Vatican,    within    the    week    of    the    Holy    Father's 

coronation,   September,   1914 


CHICAGO    TIMES-HKRALD,    December    27, 
1S96. 

Portraits  by  Master 

Au_!;i(.sl    Bcnzigcr    in    Cliicago,    Ilcrc    to 
Execute  Commissions 

Mr.  Benziger  is  a  quarter  of  a  century  in 
achance  of  his  contemporaries,  for  he  is  scarcely 
ten  and  twenty,  and  he  ranks  among  the  fore- 
most portrait  painters  of  the  world. 

Mr.  Benziger  paints  portraits  not  to  display 
his  mannerism  in  drawing,  in  composition  or  in 
color,  but  to  set  forth  his  subject  as  nature  has 
done.  He  paints  without  affectation.  He  paints 
men  and  women  as  the}-  seem  to  their  fellow  beings. 

His  work  is  distinguished  by  painstaking  and 
powerful  modeling,  giving  uncommon  strength 
and  suppleness  to  his  figures  by  gracious  lines 
and  sensuous  tones.  He  is  a  daring  colorist, 
but  he  never  strikes  other  than  a  harmonious 
chord.  The  strength  of  his  pencil  is  matched 
by  an  original  sense  of  color  relations,  which 
without  glare  or  sensation  he  produces  in  brilliant 
and  effective  tones.  His  portraits  are  at  once 
elegant,  individual  and  charming,  his  draughts- 
manship is  superb. 

He  essays  portraits  of  children  laughing  at 
their  play,  young  girls  budding  into  woman- 
hood, beauties  in  the  prime  of  their  glorj',  o'd 
age  in  all  its  sublimity — all  of  these  he  presents 
with  unusual  dexterity. 


Portrait   by  A.  Benziger 
HIS  EMINENCE,  JAMES  CARDINAL  GIBBONS 
of  Baltimore 


liy  A.  Benziger 

HIS   EMINENCE, 

CARDINAL   W.    H.    O'CONNELL 

of  Boston 


13 


NEW  YORK  TRIBUNE,  February  10,  1901. 
Special  Cable  to  New  York  TribiDie,  and  Chicago 
Times-Herald,  C.  I .  Barnard. 

Portraits  the  Rule 

Annual  Art  Exhibit  in  Paris 
McKIN LEY'S  PICTURE  SEEN 

Full-length  Work  by  August  Benzigcr  one  of  the 
Features  and  in  a  Prominent  Place 

Paris,  February  9. — Annual  show  of  the 
painting  and  sculpture  at  the  Cercle  de  I'Union 
Artistique,  popularly  known  as  "I'epatant," 
which  opened  this  week,  contains  some  interest- 
ing work,  portraits,  as  usual,  being  pre-eminent. 

A  large  full-length  portrait  of  President  Mc- 
Kinley,  by  August  Benziger,  already  privately 
exhibited  in  Washington,  dominates  everything 
around  it.  There  is  vigor  and  truthfulness  of 
drawing,  the  somber  coloring  gives  a  touch  of 
solemnity  to  a  picture  full  of  dignity  and  char- 
acter, in  which  one  sees  not  only  the  man,  but  the 
President. 


jamin  Constant's  portrait  of  Comte  Delaborde 
in  his  green  embroidered  uniform  of  the  Academy 
is  far  too  official.  August  Benziger  exhibits 
a  large  full  length  portrait  of  Mrs.  Horace  Porter 
in  grayisli  blue  evening  dress.  A  capital  like- 
ness and  an  exceedingly  decorative  picture. 


LONDON    DAILY    CHRONICLE,    Saturday 
August  31,  1907. 

The  President's  Portrait 

Sanctuary    of    Art    Among    the    Swiss 

Mountains 

By  an  American  Correspondent 

If  ever  you  should  go  to  Brunnen,  on  Lake 
Luzerne,  bide  awhile,  and  you  will  say  with  the 
late  Queen  Victoria,  "This  is  the  loveliest  spot 
in  all  Switzerland." 

Your  vision  will  revel  in  the  marvelous  color- 
ing of  this  matchless  Lake  of  the  Four  Cantons. 


Portriiil   hy  A.   Benziger 

MISS  GLORIA  CASTELLA 
of  Havana,  Cuba 


Portniit  hi/  A.  Ilenxiyer 

MISS  ISABEL  PEREDA 
of  Buenos  Aires,  Argentine  Republic,  So.  America 


NEW    YORK    DAILY    TRIBUNE,    Sunday, 
February  9, 1902.    By  Special  Cable  from  Paris. 

The  annual  picture  show  of  the  Cercle  Union 
Artistique,  commonly  known  as  the  Epatant, 
comprises  S5  pictures,  of  which  35  are  portraits. 
Indeed  portraiture  is  pre-eminent,  not  only  in 
quantity,  but  in  quality.  The  portrait  of  a  lady 
in  black,  by  Dagnan  Bouveret,  has  grace  and 
distinction.  Chartran's  portrait  of  Mrs.  Knight 
is  bright  and  pleasing.  Gabriel  Ferreir's  por- 
trait of  Gaston  Boissier  is  pronounced  the 
strongest  work  that  the  painter  has  done.    Bcn- 


You  will  view  with  awe  the  giant  M^'then,  pierc- 
ing with  double  apex  the  Northern  heavens,  and 
while  your  eye  is  held  by  the  Alpine  glow  of  these 
jagged  summits  you  behold  the  snow-crowned 
peaks  of  Old  Urirothstock,  king  of  the  mighty 
chain  of  mountains  that  enthrone  him,  grandest 
of  them  all. 

Forsake  the  border  road,  yield  not  to  the 
temptations  of  the  luxurious  Grand  Hotel  of 
Brunnen,  till  you  have  pushed  on  straight 
upwards  into  the  woods,  and  reached  the  chalet 
perched  on  the  shoulder  of  the  cliff. 


pin  tiiiit    hi/   A.    i:i  "     ■  ■  I 

PRESIDENT    F(JRRER 
The   democratic    President    of    Switzerland,    whose   portrait   was   painted   by    Mr.    Benziger   at    his    studio 

in   Brunnen,    Switzerland 


15 


Mount  the  turret  step?  cut  in  natix'e  rock,  till 
you  stand  at  the  door  of  the  atelier  of  the  famous 
Swiss  painter,  Monsieur  lienziger.  You  knock! 
Palette  in  hand  the  artist  advances  to  f^ive  you 
welcome.  Like  every  American  you  feel  your 
heart  j^o  out  toward  him  for  his  masterly  por- 
trait of  the  re\cred  McKinley,  painted  in  the 
White  House  for  \'ice-President  Hobart. 

An  Eloquent  Canvas 

You  confess  your  intense  desire  for  a  glimpse 
of  that  crowning  creation  of  his  art,  the  portrait 
of  Theodore  Roose\'elt.  A  big  easel  is  swung 
aside,  and  you  stand  looking  into  the  face, 
seemingly  not  of  a  picture  of  the  President,  but 
of  Mr.  Roosevelt  himself.  He  appears  to  step 
down  from  the  canvas  and  come  forward  in  all 
his  uniciue  virile  personality,  that  he  may  greet 
you  heartily.  His  presen,ce  fills  the  room,  and 
dominates  it.  You  forget  Monsieur  Benziger 
and  his  studio.  You  are  in  Washington  talking 
with  the  President.  "Good  gracious,"  you 
ejaculate,  "the  picture  is  alive."  This  master- 
piece ought  to  be  placed  on  exhibition  in  a 
dumber  of  our  large  cities,  to  be  viewed  by  the 
masses,  that  they  may  better  grasp  the  character 
of  Theodore  Roosevelt. 


BROOKLYN   EAGLE,   January  16.  1907. 

Si.xteen  portraits  by  A.  Benziger  on  view  are 
the  result  of  his  recent  work  in  America,  in 
England  and  on  the  Continent.  His  sitters  are 
for  the  most  part  residents  of  London,  Paris, 
Zurich,  St.  Louis,  Pittsburgh,  and  Cincinnati, 
and  the  collection  in  that  respect  is  a  test  of 
Mr.  Benziger's  ability  to  portray  national  types 
and  to  bring  out  whatever  individuality  his 
sitter  may  possess.  He  is  true  to  what  he  sees; 
moreover,  he  goes  to  the  character  of  his  subject. 
His  technique  is  a  plastic  medium  ready  to  his 
hand.  It  is  natural,  therefore,  that  he  should 
have  painted  American  intentness  of  purpose 
and  sharpness  of  eye  in  the  pictures  of  his 
subjects.  Alertness,  poise  and  independence  are 
also  shown  in  the  portraits  while  a  laughing  por- 
trait of  Mrs.  L.  of  St.  Louis,  is  American  to  the 
core,  through  its  dash  and  spirit. 

Strikingly  different  are  the  expressions  in  the 
portraits  of  Miss  O.  S.  and  Miss  M.  M.  of  Zurich, 
of  Lady  Guy  Chetwynd,  London,  and  of  the 
Princess  Duleep-Singh,  London,  and  Mme. 
Marion,  Paris.  Their  semi-languid  poses  and 
facial  expressions  gave  doubtless  to  the  artist, 
more  work  than  the  American  faces  demanded. 
Many  admire  such  types  of  women,  but  theirs 
is  comparative  passivity,  while  the  tjqaical 
.Vmerican  woman  does  not  have  to  be  waked 
out  of  a  trance  by  the  artist.  Mr.  Benziger 
shows  this  difference  in  these  contrasting 
pictures.  Quite  lovely,  is  the  full  length  por- 
trait of  Mme.  Marion;  perhaps,  for  its  harmony 
of  color,  its  ease  in  pose,  its  delicate  darks  and 
whites  against  grays  and  its  refined  atmosphere 
it  is  the  choice  of  the  collection.  Fascinating, 
too,  is  the  brunette  beauty  of  the  Princess 
Duleep-Singh  with  her  pensive  air  and  submis- 
sive dark  eyes.     Not  to  be  omitted  is  a  rare 


portrait  of  the  artist's  wife.  There  is  also  a 
portrait  of  Chanoine  Chaumont,  Paris,  in  his 
ecclesiastical  robes,  as  full  of  color  and  as 
sharply  delineated  as  a  Yibert,  but  in  the  eyes 
shine  a  kindlier  and  softer  light  than  Vibert  ever 
l)ut  into  his  showy  ecclesiastics. 


PHILADELPIUA       NORTH     AMERICAN 
Sunday,  January  2,  1916. 

Penna.  Men  Subjects  of  Noted 
Portraitist 

Benziger   Paints   Pictures   of  J.    Howell 
Cummin gs,  Schwab  and  Brasheir 

USES  MASTERS'  METHOD 

Has  Achieved  the  Primacy  in  His  Chosen 

Branch  of  Art 

By  William  R.  Lester 

August  Benziger,  of  New  York,  painter  ex- 
traordinary to  presidents  and  popes  and  cardinals 
and  captains  of  industry,  finished  just  before  the 
holidays  his  latest  important  work,  a  three- 
quarter  length  portrait  of  J.  Howell  Cummings, 
president  of  the  John  B.  Stetson  Company. 

The  sittings  for  it  were  given  at  the  Benziger 
studio  on  West  Fifty-seventh  Street  in  New 
York,  and  it  is  artistically  regarded  as  one  of  the 
artist's  most  notable  successes  in  technical 
treatment  and  temperamental  characterization. 

Benziger's  primacy  in  his  chosen  branch  of  art 
has  been  attained  without  concessions  to  the 
modern  method  and  spirit  in  portraiture,  under 
inspiration  of  which  drawing,  modeling  and 
coloring  are  simultaneous  processes.  Art  works 
thus  created  quickly  fade,  and  in  forty  or  lifty 
years  are  gone. 

Follow  Old  AI asters'  Methods 

A  Benziger  portrait,  on  the  contrary,  is 
painted  after  the  manner  of  the  old  masters  of 
the  renaissance  period — a  method  uninterrupted 
until  the  advent,  early  in  the  nineteenth  century, 
of  machine-made  colors  in  collapsible  tubes. 

The  sketch  was  first  carefully  and  completely 
drawn,  and  then  the  first  painting  of  neutral 
colors  was  laid  on,  designating  accurately  the 
masses  of  light  and  shade — the  chiaroscuro — the 
entire  work.  Then,  after  this  was  quite  dry,  the 
coloring  was  laid  on,  glaze  after  glaze,  until  the 
sense  of  mere  paint  disappeared,  and  the  flesh 
tints  seemed  soft  and  transparent  as  in  life.  A 
picture  so  painted  endures  almost  forever. 

There  is  no  short  cut  to  perfection  by  anj' 
other  route,  and  Benziger  has  never  tried  to  find 
one.  At  the  present  time  he  is  perhaps  the  most 
distinguished  living  exemplar  of  classical  art 
and  technique  in  portraiture.  The  world  of 
important  people  has  a  knack  of  finding  out 
such  men,  and  in  consequence,  J\Ir.  Benziger 
during  his  long  and  laborious  career  has  painted 
the  portraits  of  no  end  of  notabiUties — generals, 
ambassadors,  princes,  world-famous  beauties  of 
high  rank,  and  rulers,  statesmen  and  industrial 
magnates  of  high  and  far  degrees. 


16 


Portrait   by  A.  Uenziyer 

THE  LATE  PORFIRIO  DIAZ 
Former    President    of    Mexico,    who,    though    an    exile,    was    anxious    and    broken-hearted    over    the    con- 
dition  of  his  country 


17 


Adept  ill  Portraying  Women 

By  some  curious  twist  of  talent,  this  master  of 
characterization  in  two  dimensions  is  also  adept 
in  j)ortrayinf;  the  peculiar  charms  of  femininity 
and  the  grace  and  beauty  of  children.  It  was  as 
a  painter  of  women's  portraits,  in  fact,  that 
Benziger  iirst  attained  high  reputation  in  his 
Paris  studio  where  he  began  his  artistic  career  of 
independent  virtuosity  thirty  years  ago. 

Reproductions  in  black  and  white  of  these 
[)()rtraits  fail  to  convey  their  indefinable  charm 
of  perfect  modeling  and  brilliant  coloring. 
Sometimes — as  in  the  Brashear  portrait — well- 
balanced  accessories  impart  to  the  dull  mono- 
chrome some  of  the  warm,  pulsing  vitality  of  the 
original,  yet  always  there  is  some  loss  of  the 
painter's  thought.  But  the  vivid  characteriza- 
tion, revealing  the  inmost  soul  of  the  sub- 
ject, is  as  apparent  here  as  upon  the  painter's 
canvas. 

It  is  a  strong  and  suggestive  combination — 
industrial  magnate,  steel  king  and  scientist — 
great  Americans  greatly  painted. 


NEW  YORK  HERALD,  Sunday,  January  13, 
1907. 

Portraits  by  Mr.  August 
Benziger 

Characteristic  of  Mr.  August  Benziger's 
portraiture  are  the  portraits  of  Miss  A.  N. 
Oliver  and  Mrs.  Lambert.  The  latter  might 
have  as  a  subtitle  "The  Joy  of  Living,"  it  is  so 
vivacious,  with  the  laugh  on  the  subject's  lips, 
the  movement  and  poise  of  the  figure  and  the 
general  swing  and  buoyancy  that  characterize 
the  canvas.  A  certain  distinguished  grace  is  a 
noticeable  feature  of  the  portrait  of  Miss 
Oliver.  The  composition,  with  the  beautiful 
collie  as  pet  companion  to  the  young  woman, 
and  the  landscape  background,  is  highly 
effective. 

His  career  and  his  art  have  been  excellently 
characterized  by  an  anonymous  critic.  "Mr. 
Benziger  studied  in  Paris  under  Bonnat  and 
under  Bouguereau  and  he  reflects  certain  char- 
acteristics of  both  these  great  masters.  He  has 
Bonnat's  clear  perception  of  the  picturesque 
possibilities  of  his  subject  and  Bouguereau's 
delicacy  of  touch  and  facile  management  of 
carnations,  without,  however,  any  of  the  latter's 
waxen  smoothness  of  surface.  He  is  not  in- 
debted to  either  of  his  teachers  for  manner  or 
method  or  for  anything  but  direction  given  to 
the  severe,  persistent  toil  by  which  his  command 
of  technique  has  been  acquired. 

"  Gifted  with  natural  powers  of  observation, 
with  alert  intelligence  and  with  capacity  for 
solid  hard  work,  he  has  wrought  out  his  own 
salvation  in  his  own  way,  and  both  in  his  atti- 
tude toward  his  subject  and  in  his  manner  of 
treatment  he  maintains  a  vigorous  independ- 
ence at  once  original  and  strikingly  effective. 
His  attaque  is  bold  and  confident,  his  touch 
direct  and  certain. 


BROOKLYN    DAILY    EAGLE,    New     York, 
Friday,  January  3,  1908. 

Portraits 

Strong  Character  Painting  by  A .  Benziger 

That  A.  Benziger  is  one  of  the  strongest  char- 
acter portrait  painters  we  now  have  is  shown  by 
a  glance  at  eleven  of  his  works  on  exhibition  at 
Knoedler's,  355  Fifth  Avenue,  Manhattan. 
First  to  greet  you,  on  the  opposite  wall  as  you 
enter  the  gallery,  is  President  Roosevelt's  por- 
trait. It  is  strong  and  realistic.  The  President, 
in  frock  coat,  stands  as  though  he  had  risen 
from  his  desk  and,  leaning  forward  slightly, 
peers  through  his  glasses  to  question  your  errand. 
There  is  no  attempt  to  make  him  look  pretty. 
His  features  are  exactly  set  down,  even  to  his 
irregulary  shaped  nose  and  the  hairs  of  his  mus- 
tache bristling  in  various  ways.  Prominent  in 
the  collection  is  a  large  portrait  of  the  late  Presi- 
dent McKinley,  the  really  wonderful  feature  of 
which  is  the  expression  of  the  eyes.  In  this 
accomplishment  by  the  artist,  Mr.  McKinley 
expressed  himself  as  delighted  after  the  last 
sitting.  Mr.  Benziger  has,  moreover,  caught  the 
expression  of  quiet  dignity,  and  the  quiet  smile 
and  the  benignity,  so  characteristic  of  McKinley. 
A  portrait  of  President  Forrer  of  Switzerland 
shows  a  leonine  face,  and  the  eyes  bespeak  fine 
intelligence  and  capacity  for  gentleness.  Very 
strong  in  psychology  also  is  a  portrait  of  J. 
Malcolm  Forbes  of  Boston,  known  in  higher 
circles  of  sport,  and  one  of  E.  L.  McClain,  a 
successful  business  man  of  Greenfield,  O.  The 
late  General  T.  J.  Wood  is  shown  in  a  wonder- 
fully good  portrait  reconstructed  from  photo- 
graphs and  data.  The  picture  shows  him  in 
uniform  and  with  medals.  The  work  is  to  go  to 
West  Point  Mihtary  Academy.  Other  strong 
examples  are  portraits  of  Mrs.  E.  L.  McClain, 
Fayette  Brown  of  Cleveland,  O.;  Miss  Elizabeth 
Rees,  a  little  Southern  beauty  of  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  and  Miss  and  Master  Hoster.  a  fine  com- 
position and  well  painted,  as  to  likeness,  like 
all  other  work  on  view  painted  by  Mr.  Benziger. 


NEW  YORK  IIER.4LD,  Monday,  January  10. 
1910. 

Mr.  Benziger  Exhibits 
Convincing  Portraits 

Individuality  of  Subjects  Brought  Out  in 
Likenesses     of     Cardinal     Gibbons, 
President  Diaz,  Mr.  John  Pit- 
cairn    and   Others   in   His 
Studio 

Intimate  and  con\'incing  portraits  are  those 
which  Mr.  A.  Benziger  has  placed  on  exhibition 
in  his  studio,  at  No.  140  West  Fifty-seventh 
Street. 

This  American  artist  depicts  his  subjects 
amid  their  own  surroundings,  and  as  a  result  his 


.J 


Portrait  by  A.  Benxiger 

PRESIDENT  McKINLEY 

The    above    was    painted    at    the    White    House    after    the    Spanish-American    war.       Another     portrait 

was  painted   by   the  order   of   Vice-President   Hobart 


portraits  have  an  air  of  individuality  which 
brings  the  observer  closely  in  touch  witii  the 
personaHties  which  the  artist  jwrtrays. 

One  of  the  most  important  canvases  shown 
represents  Cardinal  Gibbons.  Although  the 
prelate  is  clad  in  his  vestments  of  rich  red,  the 
painter  has  subordinated  the  hue  and  texture  of 
the  robes  so  that  attention  is  concentrated  upon 
the  face.  The  countenance  is  serene,  intellectual, 
spirituelle,  and  the  expression  of  the  clear  blue 
eyes  has  been  admirably  caught.  The  body  is 
in  shadow  below  the  waist,  thus  eliminating  the 
scarlet  tones  and  concentrating  the  light  about 
the  head. 

One  of  the  most  finished  portraits  of  the  exhibi- 
tion is  that  of  Mr.  John  Pitcairn,  of  Philadelphia. 
It  suggests  the  style  of  Hoppner  or  of  Raeburn. 
Mr.  Pitcairn  is  of  a  literary  turn  of  mind,  as  is 
indicated  by  his  pensive  air  and  by  his  surround- 
ings. 

Strangely  contrasted  with  his  picture  is  the 
adjoining  portrait  of  President  Diaz  of  Mexico. 
It  is  filled  with  dynamic  force.  The  idea  of  the 
restless  energy  of  the  man  and  his  strength  of 
character  is  suggested  in  his  self-reliant  pose. 
The  canvas  is  brilliant  in  color,  for  the  Mexican 
ruler  is  in  full  uniform  and  adorned  with  orders 
and  other  insignia  of  rank. 


NEW  YORK  HERALD,  Thursday  January  5, 
1911. 

Mr.    Benziger   Shows    Portraits 
of  Famous   Men   Well   Painted 

Likenesses  of  Justice  O'Gorman,  General 

Woodford,   President   Diaz,   Colonel 

Roosevelt     Among      Those     in 

Artistes  Studio 

Portraits  which  are  first  of  all  likenesses,  but 
which  also  have  a  certain  expression  of  ideality, 
are  on  exhibition  in  the  studio  of  their  painter, 
Mr.  A.  Benziger,  at  No.  140  West  Fifty-seventh 
Street.  Mr.  Benziger  succeeds  always  in  pre- 
senting a  portrait  faithful  to  every  feature  of  his 
subject. 

Among  these  new  portraits  is  one  of  Justice 
James  A.  O'Gorman,  of  the  Supreme  Court.  It 
shows  the  jurist  in  his  gown  of  office  and  glancing 
up  from  the  study  of  some  knotty  point  of  law. 
The  thoughtful  look  on  his  face  and  the  char- 
acteristic pose  of  the  hand  holding  the  recently 
removed  eyeglasses  show  how  well  the  painter 
studied  the  mannerisms  of  the  sitter. 

.\n  unfinished  portrait  of  General  Stewart  L. 
Woodford  is  an  exceptionally  strong  example  of 
the  artist's  methods.  It  shows  a  strong  fore- 
head and  a  face  marked  by  a  lifetime  of  accom- 
plishments as  soldier,  dii)lomat  and  financier. 
The  modeling  is  excellent. 

There  is  also  a  portrait  of  Mr.  Geo.  Allen  of 
Philadelphia,  which  is  marked  by  the  realistic 
manner  in  which  the  artist  has  depicted  the  eyes. 
There  is  plenty  of  open  air  suggested  in  the  small 
portrait    of    Dr.    Owsley,    of    Virginia,    who    is 


shown  in  hunting  costume  beside  his  favorite 
mount  and  with  two  of  his  dogs  at  his  feet. 
Other  portraits  are  those  of  President  Diaz,  of 
Mexico;  Colonel  Theodore  Roosevelt,  Colonel 
George  W.  Roosevelt  and  Miss  Margaret  Jack- 


NEW  YORK  SUN,  Sunday,  November  2,  1913. 

Remarkable  Likeness   in  Last 
Portrait  of  Late  J.  P.  Morgan 

Picture  by  August  Benziger  Was  Painted 

by   Artist   Without   Sittings   During 

Period  of  Two  Years 

What  is  thought  to  be  the  last  portrait  ever 
painted  of  the  late  J.  Pierpont  Morgan  can  now 
be  seen  in  the  studio  of  the  artist  August 
Benziger. 

Mr.  Benziger  never  had  any  sittings  from  the 
great  financier,  but  during  a  term  of  two  years  he 
never  missed  an  opportunity  to  see  and  study 
Mr.  Morgan.  Counting  one  of  Mr.  Morgan's 
partners  in  the  banking  firm  among  his  personal 
friends,  he  was  frequently  in  the  downtown 
offices,  and  it  was  there  he  made  most  of  his 
studies,  always  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
banker.  In  that  way  the  artist  was  enabled  to 
watch  his  subject  at  a  time  when  he  was  ab- 
solutely free  from  self-consciousness,  a  malady 
that  is  sure  to  attack  those  who  enter  a  regula- 
tion studio  to  have  their  portraits  painted,  and 
also  to  see  the  man  as  he  was  in  the  midst  of  the 
work  in  which  the  entire  world  came  to  have  so 
keen  an  interest. 

Such  of  Mr.  Morgan's  business  associates  as 
have  seen  the  picture  agree  that  Mr.  Benziger 
has  secured  the  look  and  attitude  that  they  knew 
so  well.  The  likeness  is  unmistakable,  but  what 
is  more  remarkable  is  the  look  of  command,  of 
quiet  force,  for  Mr.  Morgan  was  of  those  whose 
will  was  imposed  upon  others  without  much 
visible  eff'ort  upon  his  part. 

For  years  Mr.  Benziger  wished  to  do  this 
portrait,  for  he  felt  that  a  faithful  record  would 
be  held  of  value  by  the  community,  and  that  in 
course  of  time  it  would  be  regarded  as  a  historic 
document.  He  would  have  preferred  to  have 
had  some  sittings,  but  resolved  to  paint  the 
picture  without  them.  Mr.  Morgan  was  always 
chary  of  sitting  to  artists,  but  in  addition  to  his 
dislike  of  sitting  his  time  when  in  America  was 
too  much  given  to  public  affairs  to  permit  of  it. 
For  that  reason  he  was  better  known  to  the 
public  at  large  in  Europe  than  here.  In  America 
he  rushed  from  one  committee  meeting  to 
another;  in  Italy  and  France  he  was  at  leisure, 
and  the  people  of  those  countries  came  to  know 
him  very  well  from  constantly  seeing  him  in  the 
galleries  and  upon  the  public  promenades. 

Mr.  Benziger  made  the  first  sketches  for  the 
portrait  about  the  time  of  the  Hudson-Fulton 
Memorial  exhibition  at  the  Metropolitan  Mu- 
seum of  Art,  where  Mr.  Morgan  could  be  fre- 
quently encountered.  He  saw  him  frequently 
in  Europe  after  that    but  made  his  last  studies 


20 


Portrait  hy  A.  Betiziger 

THEODORE  ROOSEVELT 
Twenty-sixth    President    of    the    United    States,    who    proved    a    most    interesting    sitter,    keeping    up 
running  fire  of  conversation  on  a  wide  range  of  subjects 


21 


in  the  banking  ofllces  here  just  before  Mr. 
Morgan  sailed  on  his  last  voyage  to  Italy.  The 
background  and  certain  details  of  the  painting 
were  finished  after  his  death. 

"How  an  artist  can  achieve  a  portrait  like  this 
without  directly  drawing  from  the  model  must 
always  be  mystery  to  the  world  at  large,"  said 
Mr.  Benziger,  "but  those  in  the  profession 
understand  that  a  large  share  of  every  portrait 
that  is  painted  from  life  is  painted  more  from  the 
artist's  idea  of  the  model  than  from  the  model 
himself.  You  form  a  conception  of  the  in- 
dividual at  the  beginning,  and  that  is  what  you 
strive  to  represent.  In  the  meantime  your 
model,  fatigued  by  the  posing  or  rendered  self- 
conscious  by  the  unusual  surroundings  of  the 
studio,  becomes  less  and  less  hke  himself,  so 
that  you  are  continually  forced  to  paint  the 
expression  that  you  remember  instead  of  the 
expression  that  you  see  before  you." 


PHILADELPHIA        PUBLIC        LEDGER, 
Thursday,  December  21,  1911. 

Portraits  by  A.  Benziger 

Work  of  Celebrated  Swiss  Painter  Placed 
on  Exhibition 

An  exhibition  of  22  portraits  by  August 
Benziger  opened  yesterday.  Mr.  Benziger,  born 
in  1867  at  Einsiedeln,  Switzerland,  was  a  pupil 
of  Bouguereau  and  of  Bonnat,  and  his  fame  was 
established  by  his  portrait  of  Pope  Leo  XIII, 
painted  in  1893.  The  present  exhibition  in- 
cludes .likenesses  of  prominent  personages,  in 
each  instance  loaned  by  their  owners,  and  all  of 
them  bearing  testimony  to  the  salient  abilities 
of  the  painter.  The  personal  distinction  of 
many  of  the  sitters  is  in  itself  a  tribute  to  Mr. 
Benziger's  artistic  standing  and  international 
repute. 

The  portrait  of  President  McKinley,  made  at 
the  time  of  the  Spanish  War,  depicts  him 
evidently  perpending  the  momentous  issues  of 
the  conflict.  The  likeness  of  Roosevelt  is 
eager,  animated — the  concentration  and  pith 
of  virile  energy — it  fairly  steps  forward  from  the 
frame  to  greet  the  observer.  Next  it  is  the 
imposing  presentment  of  Diaz,  in  which  the 
qualities  that  established  the  Dictator  in  mas- 
terful pre-eminence  in  Mexico  are  vividly  dis- 
closed. Of  particular  local  interest  is  the  por- 
trait of  Archbishop  Prendergast,  a  peculiarly 
human  and  speaking  likeness  in  natural  and 
characteristic  attitude.  Governor  John  K. 
Tener,  John  Pitcairn  and  the  late  Dr.  John 
Meigs,  the  well-loved  headmaster  of  the  Hill 
School  at  Pottstown,  are  others  whose  per- 
sonality has  been  projected  on  canvas  by  the 
felicitous  brush  of  the  painter.  There  is  a 
forceful  and  arresting  portrait  of  Cardinal 
Gibbons,  which  is  among  the  best  in  the  room. 

The  winsome  identity  of  Miss  O'Gorman, 
daughter  of  Senator  O'Gorman,  of  New  York — 
whose  likeness  is  next  that  of  his  daughter — is 
visualized  on  a  canvas  in  which  there  is  a  subtle 
contrast  of  flesh-tones,  Romneyescjuc  hair,  and 


diaphanous  black  chiffon  and  embroidery.  A 
charming  vision  indeed  is  that  of  Mrs.  R.  A. 
Moore,  of  Orange,  Tex.,  a  figure  of  lissome  grace 
and  ethereal  buoyancy.  JVIrs.  William  Speer 
Kuhn,  of  Pittsburgh,  is  shown  in  an  engagingly 
frank  and  naive  pose  with  her  small  son — a  beam 
of  sunlight — in  her  lap.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
Allen,  of  Philadelphia,  and  their  daughter,  and 
Mrs.  Allen  T.  Haight  are  painted  with  similar 
fidelity  to  the  essential  nature  of  the  subject, 
and  an  equal  degree  of  creative  insight  and 
delineative  cunning. 


CI  NCI  NN  A  TI  ENQUIRER,  October  20,  1908. 

Tribute  Paid  to  Art  and  Artists 

The  dinner  tendered  by  A.  Howard  Hinkle  at 
the  Queen  City  Club  last  evening  in  honor  of  A. 
Benziger  was  a  real  tribute  to  Art  and  Artists. 

The  occasion  was  arranged  for  the  purpose  of 
permitting  a  small  coterie  of  the  many  friends  of 
the  host  to  view  the  excellent  likeness  of  Mr. 
Hinkle,  the  product  of  the  brush  of  Mr.  Benziger. 
The  painting  is  truly  a  speaking  likeness  and 
brought  forth  the  highest  encomiums  from  the 
artists  and  others  present,  among  whom  were 
Congressman  Longworth,  Supt.  Gest  of  the 
Art  Museum,  Chas.  P.  Taft  and  Artist  Farny. 
All  of  whom  spoke  upon  different  art  topics. 


CINCINNATI     TIMES-STAR,     October     16, 
1906. 

Of  Mr.  Hinkle's  portrait  one  involuntarily 
says  the  words  used  by  Mr.  McKinley  when  his 
picture  had  been  finished — "Benziger,  you've 
caught  my  soul." 

Not  only  are  his  features  reproduced  with  re- 
rnarkable  fidelity,  but  the  portrait  fairly  radiates 
his  personality.  The  pose  is  an  unusual  one  and 
filled  with  meaning  and  sentiment.  Seated  in 
his  ofiice,  high  in  the  Union  Trust  building,  the 
light  from  the  East  falls  upon  the  face  and  brings 
out  to  perfection  the  kindly  spirit  that  looks 
forth  from  the  clear  eyes  and  which  to  Mr. 
Hinkle's  friends  means  the  man  himself. 

The  pose  of  the  portrait  is  natural  and  easy 
and  the  likeness  so  perfect  that  when  both  por- 
trait and  subject  are  reflected  by  means  of  a 
mirror,  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  one  from  the 
other.  Benziger  is  acknowledged  one  of  the 
four  greatest  portrait  painters  of  the  world  to- 
day. 


DAYTON,  0.,  DAILY  NEWS. 

The  portrait  of  Major  C.  B.  Clegg  is  on  e.x- 
hibition  in  Dayton  and  the  rare  excellence  of  the 
work  is  attracting  more  than  usual  attention. 
It  is  the  work  of  the  famous  portrait  painter,  A. 
Benziger,  who  is  known  in  all  art  circles  in  this 
and  foreign  countries  as  the  leading  painter  of 
likenesses  of  the  times. 

The  likeness  is  most  excellent,  while  the 
coloring  in  the  picture  makes  it  almost  lifelike 
in  its  appearance. 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger  __ 

WILLIAM   HOWARD  TAFT 
Twenty-seventh   President  of  the  United   States.     In   the  above  portrait  the  intellect  and   big  heart  of 

the   sitter   are   faithfully   portrayed 


23 


PHILADELPHIA    IXQCIRKR,    December  9, 
190(5. 

A  pupil  of  Honnat  and  Bougucrcau  of  Paris, 
Mr.  Bcnziger  was  early  trained  in  the  true 
technics  of  painting.  During  upwards  of  eleven 
_\ears  he  has  been  known  to  fame,  and  has  during 
this  period,  assiduously  applied  himself  to  char- 
acterization in  portraiture  unhampered  and 
according  to  his  own  bent,  with  the  result  that 
his  work  shows  a  brilliancy  and  individuality 
second  to  no  other  artist,  while  still  in  the  full 
powers  of  young  manhood. 


PHILADELPHIA  EVENING  TELEGRAPH, 
Thursday,  December  20,  1906. 

An  Eminent  Artist  Visits 
Philadelphia 

Auguslc  Benzigcr  the  Distinguished  Swiss 
Portrait  Painter 

HIS  WORK  NOW  ON  VIEW 

Mr.  Benziger  is  gifted  with  natural  powers  of 
observation,  with  alert  intelligence,  and  with 
capacity  for  solid  hard  work,  he  has  wrought  out 
his  own  salvation,  in  his  own  way,  and,  both  in 
his  attitude  toward  his  subject  and  in  his  manner 
of  treatment  he  maintains  a  vigorous  independ- 
ence at  once  original  and  strikingly  effective. 
His  attaque  is  bold  and  confident,  his  touch 
direct  and  certain,  his  work  having  the  quality 
of  simplicity  due  to  his  knowing  exactly  what  he 
intends  to  do  and  perfectly  well  how  to  do  it. 
He  has  a  searching  eye  for  detail  and  is  con- 
scientiously faithful  in  representing  fact  as  he 
sees  it,  but  at  the  same  time,  he  can  on  occasion 
e.xercise  artistic  discrimination  in  matters  of 
environment  and  accessories,  leading  to  happy 
results  without  sacrificing  the  truth. 


PHILADELPHIA     RECORD,    December    24, 
1911. 

News  of  the  Art  World 

Remarkable     Exhibition     of    Portraiture 

Shown  by  the  Painter  of  Our 

Presidents 

GROUP  OF  CELEBRITIES 

August  Benziger' s  Pictures 

By  Francis  J.  Ziegler 

Quite  a  remarkable  art  exhibition,  a  one  man 
show,  which  is  deservingly  attracting  consider- 
able attention  just  at  present,  is  the  collection  of 
portraits  by  Auguste  Benziger.  The  painter, 
Swiss  by  birth,  American  by  recent  naturaliza- 
tion, has  been  fortunate  in  being  able  to  pick 
his  sitters  from  those  eminent  in  the  higher 
walks  of  life.  Statesmen  of  international  fame, 
financiers  known  all  over  the  world,  clericals  of 
wide   repute,   professional   men   of   note,   these 


have  served  as  his  models,  have  sat  before  his 
easel  and  discussed  matters  of  grave  moment 
with  him  while  he  was  busy  with  his  brush.  As 
a  result,  the  present  exhibition  might  be  de- 
scribed as  a  portrait  gallery  of  celebrities.  In- 
dividually they  are  of  importance,  not  only  as 
works  of  art,   but  as   historical   documents  of 

value,  :^  :|e  %  4:  :f:  :«: 

The  pictured  visages  of  three  Presidents  have 
their  place  in  this  display.  Two  of  our  own. 
Presidents  McKinley  and  Roosevelt,  and  one  of 
a  sister  Republic,  President  Diaz  of  Me.xico. 
Both  the  McKinley  portrait  and  that  of  Roose- 
velt are  admirable  likenesses,  simple  in  composi- 
tion, direct  in  handling,  one  feels  as  if  the  men 
themselves  stood  before  one,  instead  of  canvases 
covered  with  pigments. 

****** 

One  of  the  strongest  works  in  the  exhibition 
is  the  recently  painted  portrait  of  Archbishop 
Prendergast,  of  Philadelphia,  an  admirable  bit 
of  work,  virile  in  every  touch  of  the  brush.  In 
handling  it  differs  considerably  from  the  neigh- 
boring portraits,  a  fact  which  illustrates  that  the 
painter  is  not  limited  to  any  one  style  of  work, 
but  varies  his  technique  to  suit  the  subject. 


PHILADELPHIA  STAR,  December  27,   1911. 

Exhibition  of  Benzlger's  Work 

Portraits  of  N^otables 

Mr.  Benziger  shows  22  portraits  in  this  ex- 
hibition and  they  are  all  of  prominent  men  and 
women  who  would  only  sit  for  one  who  had 
attained  marked  distinction  in  his  profession. 

They  are  characterized,  one  and  all,  by  a 
sincere  desire  to  do  justice  to  the  personality  of 
the  sitter  and  to  produce  a  faithful  likeness 
combined  with  distinguishing  traits  of  character, 
moral  and  physical,  rather  than  to  exploit  the 
idiosyncrasies  or  affectations  of  the  painter. 
The  twenty-two  have  been  loaned  by  their 
owners  and  include  portraits  of  well-known 
persons.  Such  a  collection  of  canvases  of 
notables  is  seldom  got  together. 


PHILADELPHIA  NORTH  AMERICAN.  De- 
cember 24,  1911. 

Noted  Portraits  Seen  In 
Benzlger's  Exhibit  Here 

Evidences   of  the  Portraiture   Genius   of 

Augtiste  Benziger,  World-wide 

Reputation 

FOREMOST  MEN  OF  AMERICA  AMONG 
SITTERS  FOR  HIS  BRUSH 

By  William  R.  Lester 

Some  striking  portraits  of  men  distinguished 
in  affairs  and  of  women,  embodying  grace, 
dignity  and  beauty,  the  work  of  A.  Benziger, 
have  been  arranged  for  public  exhibition. 


24 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 


MISS  AMELIA  OLIVER 
of  Pittsburgh,   Pennsylvania 


26 


Mr.  Benzigcr  is  one  of  the  few  artists  who 
have  attained  world  recognition  as  leading  por- 
trait painters.  Since  this  exhibition  was  in- 
stalled, admirers  of  this  difficult,  elusive  and 
fascinating  branch  of  i)ictorial  art  have  flocked 
in  gaj'  troops  to  study  and  wonder  at  these 
latest  productions  of  genius  in  portraiture. 

Art  work  of  this  class,  with  subjects  socially 
or  officially  pre-eminent  represented  by  a  master 
tehnician  of  amazing  p^'schologic  insight,  is 
tardily  coming  into  its  own  again,  after  long 
years  of  neglect  and  eclipse.  As  photography 
swept  away  a  vast  rabble  of  minor  portrait 
painters  during  the  last  century,  so  now  the 
succeeding  generation  of  impressionists  and 
sketch  producers  is  receding  into  the  background 
of  the  art  world.  An  artist's  vagrant  fancy, 
hurriedly  transferred  to  canvas,  is  now  recog- 
nized as  a  study,  not  a  portrait;  which,  as  in 
these  Benziger  pictures,  is  a  vital  denotement  of 
soul,  spirit,  and  character,  expressed  in  lofty 
terms  of  finished  art. 

How  intense  and  dominant  is  this  mysterious 
power  of  characterization  that  makes  for 
artistic  supremacy  in  portraiture  is  apparent  in 
a  survey  of  Mr.  Benziger's  works  in  this  current 
exhibition. 

Something  more  than  mere  likeness  informs 
and  vivifies  these  counterfeit  presentments. 
Like  some  flashing  revelation,  there  appears  to 
the  eye  and  imagination  the  chill  dignity  and 
indomitable  spirit  of  Diaz  of  Mexico;  the 
hectoring,  tumultuous  assertiveness  of  Roose- 
velt; the  broad  sagacious  sacerdotalism  of 
Cardinal  Gibbons  and  Archbishop  Prendergast; 
the  massive,  over-mastering  mentality  of  the 
late  Dr.  John  Meigs,  head  of  the  famous  Hill 
School;  the  serene  judicial  poise  and  reflective 
impress  pi  Senator  O'Gorman,  of  New  York, 
painted  in  his  judicial  robes,  and  kindred  subtle 
characterizations  of  men  and  women  of  com- 
mercial and  social  distinction — these  qualities 
and  conditions  are  truthfully  proclaimed  from 
Benziger's  canvases  as  though  by  the  sitters  in 
their  own  proper  persons. 

These  attributes  of  greatness  in  portraiture 
are  impossible  of  realization  without  vast  labor, 
joined  to  high  technical  skill  and  perfect  mastery 
of  detail  of  elusive  expression. 


NEW     YORK    AMERICAN    ART    NEWS 
December  12,  1914. 

James  B.  Townsend 

A.  Benziger  has  recently  completed  a  three- 
quarter  length  seated  portrait  of  Cardinal 
Farley,  begun  at  the  artist's  country  residence  in 
Brunnen,  Switzerland,  last  summer,  and  is 
showing  the  work  to  friends  at  his  studio,  140 
West  57th  Street,  with  other  portraits  of  such 
prominent  men  as  the  late  J.  Pierpont  Morgan, 
the  late  Gen.  Stewart  L.  Woodford,  Charles  M. 
.Schwab,  etc.  In  his  portrait  of  Cardinal 
Farley,  Mr.  Benziger  has  produced  one  of  his 
most  successful  works.  The  likeness  is  faithful, 
the  pose  easy  and  typically  dignified,  and  the 
expression  admirable.  The  Cardinal's  robes  are 
also  exceedingly  well  painted. 


NEW  YORK  HERALD,  November  2,  1915. 

2Mr.  A.  Benziger  recently  painted  a  life  size 
sketch  of  Dr.  Alexander  Graham  Bell,  inventor 
of  the  telephone,  representing  him  with  a  re- 
ceiver at  his  ear,  talking  with  San  Francisco, 
in  the  memorable  recent  test  of  the  wireless 
telephone.  The  portrait  is  executed  in  Mr. 
Benziger's  well  known  exact  style,  being  most 
faithful  in  its  portraiture. 


PITTSBURGH  MARGARET  CARNEGIE 
PERIODICAL,  devoted  to  Literary,  Sciciilijic 
and  Technical  Work,  May,  1915. 

Two  Friends 

Some  weeks  since  the  New  York  Herald 
published  an  article  that  gave  an  account  of 
the  execution  by  the  painter  Mr.  A.  Benziger, 
of  a  commission  of  two  portraits  for  Mr.  Charles 
M.  Schwab.  The  illustrations  accompanying 
the  article  were  admirable  black  and  white  repro- 
ductions of  the  portraits,  and  formed  a  page 
that  had  a  peculiar  interest  for  anyone  who  has 
had  any  associations  with  the  Carnegie  Institute 
of  Technology,  for  the  artist's  subjects  were  Mr. 
Schwab  and  Dr.  John  A.  Brashear. 

The  portraits,  intended,  we  believe,  for  Mr. 
Schwab's  own  galleries,  seemed  wonderfully 
good,  and  background  and  settings  chosen  were 
characteristic  of  certain  activities  of  the  sitters. 
Though  conceived  before  the  Great  War  opened, 
the  idea  of  portraying  Mr.  Schwab  with  a 
background  of  huge  cannon  and  armament 
seems  apropos  in  these  days,  when  Peace  is  being 
as  violently  begged  for  by  neutrals  as  it  is  being 
bloodily  fought  for  by  the  belligerents.  Stand- 
ing before  his  American  guns  in  frank  and  smil- 
ing friendliness  of  gaze  upon  the  world,  Mr. 
Schwab  is  a  reassuring  sight.  It  is  not  well  in  a 
period  of  barbarism  to  forget  that  art  and  prac- 
tice of  gun  building  in  America.  The  Steel- 
master's  vocation  has  its  peaceful  aspects,  but 
for  dramatic  value  in  picture  and  story,  for 
peaceful  days  those  aspects  yield  to  the  war- 
like, hence  the  choice  of  the  cannon  by  the 
painter  in  his  search  for  unusual  effect.  The 
world  was  not  wearied  and  surfeited  then  with 
tales  of  the  cruel  work  of  war's  guns.  This 
portrait  might  be  said  to  typify,  not  the  will  to 
power  but  the  will  to  peace. 

Peace;  the  ordered  course  of  the  stars,  the 
lov^eliness  of  aspect  of  the  common  things  of 
daily  life,  color,  harmony,  all  are  suggested  in 
the  background,  framing  the  setting  for  the 
second  portrait.  Telescope  and  microscope  are  at 
the  hand  of  their  prophet.  Wise  in  the  ways  of 
the  heart  of  mankind  is  this  scholar,  who,  hke 
Francis  of  Assisi,  is  brother  to  the  clouds,  the 
stars  and  the  flowers.  The  likeness  achieved 
by  the  portrait  is  a  loving  one,  so  instinct  with 
the  sitter's  kindly  spirit  does  the  painter  make  it 
seem — "Uncle  John"  to  life. 

One  wishes  that  Copley  or  other  adequate 
prints,  made  in  half  to  three-quarters  size  of  the 
original  portraits,  could  be  procured  to  be 
framed  and  hung  on  the  walls  of  the  Recrea- 


26 


tion  Room.  With  the  picture  of  Dr.  Brashear 
might  be  inscribed  that  message  from  one  of  his 
letters  to  the  M.M.C.S.  Alumnie: 

"Let  your  motto  be  never  to  let  a  day  pass 
without  having  done  some  good  to  some  fellow 
traveler  over  life's  rough  road,  and  you  will 
always  be  happj'  in  so  doing. 

"Ever   yours,    Uncle    John    Brashear." 


NEW  YORK  TRIBUNE,  November  14,  1897. 

A  Portrait  of  the  President 

The  Work  of  Mr.  Benziger,  a  Young  Swiss 

Artist  Who  Also  Painted  one  of  the 

Vice-President 

Washington,  November  13. — The  President 
has  within  the  last  few  weeks  given  a  number  of 
sittings  to  a  young  Swiss  artist.     The  result  is  a 
portrait  which  is  not 
only  a  mere  likeness, 
but  a  creditable  work 
of  art  as  well.     It  is 
destined    to    become 
the   property  of  the 
Vice-President,     who 
gave  the  commission 
for    it    to    Mr.   Ben- 
ziger. 

Mr.  Hobart  had  his 
own  portrait  painted 
by  the  same  artist, 
and  a  fair  idea  of 
both  pictures  may  be 
gained  by  an  exami- 
nation of  the  accom- 
panying prints. 

It  is  not  often  that 
the  President  finds 
the  time  to  sit  for 
an  artist.  A  few  mo- 
ments now  and  then 
snatched  from  clam- 
orous applicants  for 
office  or  the  consid- 
eration of  important 
public  questions  are 
all  that  the  occupant 
of  the  White  House, 
even  with  the  best 
intentions,  can  offer. 
Mr.  Benziger,  there- 
fore, while  painting 
the  portrait,  was  com- 
pelled to  be  almost 
constantly  at  the 
White  House,  where, 
in  one  of  the  ante- 
rooms on  the  lower  floor,  a  temporary  studio 
with  the  proper  light  and  the  necessary  acces- 
sories had  been  fitted  up  for  him.  Here  it  was 
that  he  had  an  opportunity  to  study  McKinley 
the  man.  The  President  would  drop  in  at  odd 
moments,  glad,  no  doubt,  to  escape  the  throng 
of  poHticians  in  another  part  of  the  house,  for  a 
quiet  chat  or  smoke  with  the  artist  and  an 
examination  of  the  canvas  as  it  developed  under 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

PROFESSOR  KOCHER 
The  celebrated  surgeon  of  Berne,  Switzerland, 
who  was  the  first  to  discover  the  operation  of  the 
goitre,  as  well  as  many  other  wonderful  operations. 
He  is  ranked  as  one  of  the  most  famous  surgeons 
of    Europe 


the  artist's  hands.  At  other  times,  however, — 
and  here  it  was  that  the  man  yielded  to  the 
I'resident — the  easel  and  the  necessary  draperies 
would  be  placed  in  the  large  East  Room,  near 
one  of  the  Northern  windows.  On  such  occa- 
sions the  President  received,  while  sitting,  or, 
more  properly  speaking,  perhaps,  standing,  for 
his  portrait,  members  of  the  Cabinet  and  other 
high  functionaries  of  State,  with  whom  he  would 
discuss,  in  the  presence  of  the  artist,  important 
questions  of  policy  or  listen  to  reports  submitted 
for  his  consideration  and  decision. 


BOSTON   HERALD,  May  5,  1907. 

"Mr.  Benziger  is  a  deep  student  of  human 
nature,  and  it  is  here  that  the  secret  of  his 
greatness  is  revealed.  With  rare  genius  he 
catches  the  very  thoughts  of  the  heart,  appar- 
ently, and  portrays  them  in  the  faces  and  figures 
of  his  subjects." 


Appleton 
Publishing  Co. 

Washington,  D.  C, 
Nov.  13,  1897. 

Mr.  a.  Benziger, 
New  Yok  City. 

Dear  Sir: — 

In  response  to  a 
letter  of  mine  to  Pres- 
ident McKinley,  re- 
questing a  recent  and 
favorite  likeness  of 
himself  for  publica- 
tion in  the  special 
European  edition  of 
my  weekly  journal. 
Illustrated  Life,  for 
international  distri- 
bution, I  received  a 
letter  this  morning 
from  Mr.  John  Addi- 
son Porter,  private 
secretary  to  the  presi- 
dent, suggesting  that 
you  might  send  us  a 
photograph  of  the 
jiortrait  you  painted 
of  the  President. 

I  shall  very  much 
appreciate  the  cour- 
tesy if  you  will  send 
me  the  photograph  as 
early  as  possible;  and 
also  if  you  will  also 
send  me  a  photograph  of  yourself  at  the 
same  time,  for  pubHcation  in  the  edition  re- 
ferred to,  together  with  a  brief  sketch  of  your 
life  and  work. 

Very  truly  yours 

A.  Stewart  Appleton, 

Pres.  Appleton  Publisliing  Co. 


27 


PARIS   LK   MONDE. 

"Our  most  celebrated  artists  are  represented 
at  the  exhibition  of  the  Union  Artistique: 
Honnat,  Roybet,  Caroliis  Diirand,  Ben/.iger  two 
remari<ahle  portraits." 


PARIS   LE  PETIT  JOURNAL. 

"Benziger,  two  remarkable  portraits. 
"The  beautiful  portrait  of  Mrs.  Horace  Porter 
wife  of  the  U.  S.  Ambassador." 


PARIS  JOURNAL   DES  ARTS,   Salon. 

"Portrait  of  Mme.  W.  strikingly  painted  with 
a  firm  hand  by  A.  Benziger." 

"The  portraits  of  men  form  a  very  interesting 
series.     Portrait  of  M.  Firmin-Didot  with  white 
hair    and     very    expressive 
face,  and  of  a  very  vigorous 
modeling  by  Benziger. 

"Portrait  of  Leo  XIII, 
l^ead  seen  in  profile,  ex- 
pressing rare  power  of  physi- 
ognomy, by  Benziger." 

"By  Benziger  a  fine  can- 
.vas  which  reproduces  the 
features  of  President  Mc- 
Kinley." 


PAIUS  LE  MATIN,  Salon. 

"The  fresh  and  living  por- 
traits exhibited  by  Ben- 
ziger." 


PARIS  U  AUTO  RITE. 
Salon. 

"The  portrait  by  Ben- 
ziger is  remarkable  in  exe- 
cution and  truth." 


PARIS  LE   TEMPS. 

"L'Union  Artistique  re- 
ceived the  President  of 
France  this  morning.  We 
can  now  predict  an  enthu- 
siastic success  for  some  of 
the  works  exposed,  the  por- 
traits by  Bonnat,  Dagnan-Bouveret,  Benja- 
min-Constant, Detaille,  and  an  excellent  por- 
trait by  Benziger." 


PARIS  LE  SOIR.     Ccnie  Artistique  ct  Litter- 
air  e. 

"Mr.  Benziger,  the  portrait  of  his  children, 
the  most  charming  and  touching  portrait  of 
babies  that  we  have  seen  for  a  long  time." 


PARIS   HIGH   LIFE. 

"In  the  Cercle  Artistique  el  Litteraire  Air. 
Benziger  has  exhibited  a  portrait  of  Leo  XIII, 
which  has  justly  been  much  remarked  on  account 
of  the  truth  of  the  rendering  and  the  delicacy  of 
expression.  Mr.  Benziger,  who  is  a  worker  who 
knows  no  fatigue,  an  un- 
wavering mind  which  noth- 
ing can  tire,  has  set  his 
honor  on  fulfilling  the  prom- 
ises which  his  first  successes 
let  foresee,  and  by  perse- 
verance, study  and  real  tal- 
ent, he  has  been  able  to  put 
himself  on  the  same  rank 
with  the  real  artists  who  are 
destined  to  arrive  and  be 
successful." 


LONDON   WORLD. 

"An  interesting  portrait 
on  view  at  the  Pail-Mall 
Gallery  and  attracting  much 
interest  from  Englishmen, 
is  that  of  the  late  President 
McKinley.  It  is  three-quar- 
ters length,  simply,  broadly 
and  strongly  treated.  For 
his  etTect  the  artist  has  relied 
upon  the  forceful  individu- 
ality of  his  sitter.  The  por- 
trait is  life-like,  the  lofty, 
thoughtful  brow,  clear- 
sighted eyes  and  resolute 
mouth  and  chin  showing  the 
soldier  and  statesman." 


Portrait   ?).v  .-J.   Be 

WILLIAM    P. 

of    P 


.    SNYDER,  Jr. 

ttsburgh 


ZURCHER  ZEITUNG, 

Salon,  1894. 


"  Swiss  Artist  in  this  year's 
Salon."  "A.  Benziger,  be- 
sides a  portrait  of  his  Mother,  which  in  its 
friendly  and  striking  simplicity  must  be  re- 
sembling, exhibited  a  smart  Colonel,  Military 
Attache  to  the  Embassy  in  Paris.  Sharply 
marked  contrasts  between  the  two  portrayed 
persons  show  the  ability  of  the  painter;  on  the 
one  side  a  live  robust  temperament  expressing 
self-satisfaction  and  fondness  of  things  of  the 
world,  and  on  the  other  side  a  calm  character 
not  only  manifested  by  the  quiet  features,  but 
also  by  the  hands  which  repose  clasped  on  the 
knees." 


PARIS  NEW    YORK   HERALD. 

"As  he  was  leaving  the  King  of  Belgium  ex- 
pressed great  admiration  for  the  life  size  portrait 
of  President  McKinley  by  Benziger." 


ART  CHRONICLES. 

"One  cannot  acquire  a  better  or  quicker  repu- 
tation than  as  painter  of  portraits — Benziger 
has  already  acquired  this.     By  going  through 


28 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

NAPOLEON 

Painted   from   the   most   authentic   documents 

his  interesting  collection,  one  sees  at  a  glance 
that  we  are  in  the  presence  of  an  artist  of 
remarkable  talent,  with  an  extraordinary  ability 
to  conceive  individuality." 

''Benziger's  pictures  denote  the  brilliant  quali- 
ties of  the  French  school,  freshness  of  concep- 
tion, profound  vigorous  coloring,  easy  touch, 
elegance  and  sureness  of  execution." 

"The  picture  of  Dr.  Felix  Vogt  is  before  all  a 
masterpiece  of  technical  arrangement  of  colors. 
Now  here  the  artist  has  shown  what  he  is  capable 
of  doing  in  the  spiritual  reproduction  of  a  person 
whose  exterior  is  not  captivating.  The  picture 
of  perfect  resemblance,  makes  a  thoroughly 
harmonious  and  agreeable  effect,  because  the 
spiritual  individuality  which  is  the  prominent 
point,  is  expressed  in  an  incomparable  and  even 
amazing  manner.  It  is  an  extraordinary  master- 
piece of  coloring." 

"Two  portraits  of  big  Parisian  editors,  Mr. 
Firmin-Didot  and  Mr.  L.  Hachette,  spiritual 
directors  of  the  world  known  firms,  surely  take 
the  first  place.  One  is  a  man  of  ripe  years,  with 
fresh  strong  features,  and  clear  enterprising  eyes, 
the  other  still  an  adolescent,  of  fine,  delicate 
appearance,  almost  like  a  boy,  if  it  were  not  for 
the  clear  meditating  eyes  which  look  so  intelli- 
gent." 

****** 

"The  portrait  of  Prof.  Kocher  of  Berne  de- 
notes a  masterly  rendering.  The  head  of  the 
great  surgeon  is  unusually  fine  and  sharply 
worked  out  and  modeled,  as  well  as  the  char- 
acteristic skillful  hands;  from  these  alone  one 
could  guess  the  profession  of  the  man.  Here 
the  artist  has  brought  out  the  smallest  detail 
with  virtuoso  adroitness. 

"The  portrait  of  Mr.  S.  is  modeled  with  the 
most  extraordinary  strength.     One  would  be- 


lieve to  see  the  living  man  before  one.  The 
picture  of  Master  L.  is  of  great  coloristic  charm. 
The  minutely  carried  out  portrait  of  his  Father 
on  his  last  sick  bed  piously  reproduces  the  nobly 
constructed  features  and  the  quiet  glorified 
expression  which  appears  to  high-minded  men 
at  the  approach  of  death." 


SWITZERLAND      OSTSCHWEIZ. 

"A  young  Swiss  painter  of  portraits,  actually 
remarked  in  Paris  as  a  rising  star  in  the  Heaven 
of  Art:  Mr.  Benziger.  He  exhibits  in  the  Cercle 
de  rUnion  Artistique  the  portraits  of  his 
parents,  and  the  two  portraits  are  proclaimed 
by  the  Paris  Press — generally  so  reserved  re- 
garding foreign  talent — as  being  extraordinary' 
performances.  The  writer  called  attention  some 
time  ago  to  the  incontestable  talent  and  masterly 
technique  which  they  revealed.  He  is  satisfied 
to  find  his  judgment  so  fully  confirmed  by  the 
Paris  critics." 


ART  AND  SCIENCE. 

"The  head  is  strongly  bent  forward  over  the 
highly  arched  shoulders.  He  is  an  old  man, 
with  all  the  exterior  signs  of  old  age,  but  how 
bright  are  his  looks,  how  delicate  the  lines  of  the 
face,  and  his  mouth  that  of  a  politician.  Ben- 
ziger's Leo  XIII  with  spectacles,  will  have  a 
lasting  value  as  a  true  document,  in  the  form  of  a 
picture  of  contemporaneous  history  in  which 
the  Pastor  of  Souls  who  has  played  such  an 
important  role,  is  here  represented  by  him  with 
entire  sincerity  and  great  talent." 


Portrait  by  A.  Bensiger 


Portrait  by  A.  lienziijcr 

MRS.    ALBERT    LAMBERT 
of  St.   Louis,   Mo. 

ZURCIIER   POST. 

"There  is  nowhere  a  trace  of  that  negligence  ej'es  of  that 
and  forced  carelessness  which  find  pleasure  in  of  kindness 
extravagant  gestures  of  genius.  Look  how  the  Then  again 
flesh  tints  are  treated; 
what  a  rich  coloring.  In- 
voluntarily, one  steps 
back  until  reaching  the 
point  at  which  the  tones 
appear  in  their  extraor- 
dinary force,  and  the 
forms  in  their  beautiful 
plasticitj'.  It  is  the  por- 
trait of  Leo  XIII;  as  re- 
gards the  characteristics 
of  Leo  XIII  this  is  more 
eloquent  than  all  the  pic- 
tures together  of  the 
Pope  representing  him 
as  crowned  with  a  tiara. 

"It  must  be  confessed 
that  Benziger  idealizes, 
but  never  does  this  at 
the  expense  of  the  char- 
acteristics. On  the  con- 
trary, he  embellishes  b\' 
strongly  reproducing  tlio 
intellectual  qualities." 


ZURICH  LI. MM  AT. 

"The  prominent  point 
in  his  work  is  his  man- 
ner of  individualizing 
each  face,  which  he  ol)- 
tains  by  an  extremely 
delicate  treatment  of  the  Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 
eyes,  mirror  of  the  soul.  MRS.  EDWARD  THAW 

How  calmly  soft  look  the  of  New  York 

30 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

MRS.   BENJAMIN  DOUGLAS,  Jr. 

Wife   of   a   member   of   the   firm    of   R.    G.    Dun   & 

Company 


old  lady  in  the  heavy  silk  dress,  full 
and  perhaps  a  little  resignation, 
a  flashing  pair  of  eyes,  a  proud 
beauty,  upright,  in  eve- 
ning dress.  A  mother, 
probably  a  noble  Paris- 
ian Lady,  holding  on  her 
knees  her  little  son;  what 
an  amount  of  love,  what 
a  true  mother's  heart 
looks  out  of  those  eyes. 
Two  dainty  Parisian 
ladies  with  their  ani- 
mated faces,  so  attrac- 
tive in  their  vivacity  and 
their  spirit.  The  picture 
of  the  well  known  sur- 
geon of  Zurich — eyes  of 
the  calmly  investigating, 
calmly  meditating  phy- 
sician, under  the  look  of 
these  eyes  even  the  most 
frightened  patient  is 
bound  to  take  confidence 
in  the  art  of  the  helper. 
Finally  the  small  portrait 
of  Leo  XIII.  We  muFt 
confess  that  the  famous 
picture  by  Lenbach  rep- 
resenting the  Chief  of 
the  Church,  has  not 
made  the  same  profound 
impression  on  us,  as  this 
portrait  painted  during 
one  audience.  The  clever 
features  of  the  venerable 
Pope  are  of  a  natural 
vivacity  which  can 
hardly  be  surpassed. 
They_speak_to  the  spec- 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

ALEXANDER   GRAHAM   BELL 
Scientist    and    inventor    of    the    telephone 


Portrait  hy  A.  Benziger  Copyrighted 

CHARLES   M.    SCHWAB 
Former  president  of  the  United   States  Steel   Cor- 
poration   and    present    owner    of    the    Bethlehem 
Steel    Company 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

THE  LATE  STEWART  L.  WOODFORD 
Connected  with  Abraham  Lincoln  and  General 
Cirant.  Ambassador  to  Spain  until  the  Spanish- 
American  War.  Formerly  director  of  the  Metro- 
politan Life  Insurance  Company  and  trustee  of 
Cornell    University 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

JAMES   A.   O'GORMAN 
United   States  Senator   from   New  York 


31 


Portrait  by  A.  Betiziger 

J.   H.   PATTERSON 

Proprietor    of    the    National    Cash    Register,    and 

hero  of  the  Dayton  Flood 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

HENRY  HEIDE 
A  leading  manufacturer  and  philanthropist  of  New 
York,    recently   knighted   by   the    Pope   in   recogni- 
tion  of   his   good   works 


Portrait  hy  A.  Benziger 

A.   HOWARD    HINKLE 

of  Cincinnati,   Ohio 

President  of  the  American   Book   Co. 


Portrait  hy  A.  Benziger 

CHARLES   B.   CLEGG 
A  prominent  citizen  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  who  is  pro- 
prietor of  street  car  lines  throughout   Ohio 


32 


tutor  witli  convincing  power  in  their  l<in<i- 
ness  and  their  expression  of  beinp;  above  all  the 
weaknesses  of  this  world. 


"The  portrait  of  President  McKinley  presents 
an  energetic  concentrated  man;  pale,  rigid  and 
quiet;  unmovable  as  white  granite,  appears  the 
head.  The  lips  indicate  the  high  silence  of  this 
man,  and  the  value  of  the  few  words  he  speaks. 
The  look  is  certainly  not  uneasy  or  suspicious, 
but  an  expression  of  reserved  quietness  is  there." 


destiny  of  races  and  nations  has  been  cast  in  the 
balance  of  might  and  arms;  when  sunlit  hills, 
smiling  valleys  and  fertile  plains  that  yesterday 
were  havens  of  peace  and  rest,  are  overnight 
transformed  into  martial  camps  and  foreboding 
battlefields;  when  the  channels  of  travel  on  the 
highways  of  sea  and  land  have  been  menaced, 
and  the  agencies  of  communication  with  home 
are  disrupted  by  armies  in  battle  array. 

We,  the  American  guests  of  the  (Jrand  Hotel, 
Brunnen,  finding  ourselves  strangers  under 
foreign  flags  and  cut  olT  from  ;dl  we  hold  dear, 


t.Jlg-.^^r»f»-J»J.,,»..    :2_- 


Vortrait   by  A.  lienzigcr 


THE  HOSTER  CHILDREN 
of   Columbus,   Ohio 


Tribute  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
August  Benziger 

By  American  Refugees  in  Switzerland  at 
the  Outbreak  of  the  War,  August,  1914 

In  this  supremely  critical  hour  of  European 
history,  when,  like  a  bolt  from  the  blue,   the 


recognize  that  we  have  been  singularly  blessed 
under  an  All-wise  and  Fatherly  Providence,  not 
only  with  safe  sanctuary  and  generous  hos- 
pitality, but,  more  than  all,  with  a  hearth  and  a 
home  under  the  roof  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  August 
Benziger. 

We,  therefore,  take  occasion,  by  this  presen- 
tation, to  express,  in  some  slight  measure,  how 


33 


Portrait   by  A.  Benzigcr 

MRS.   X.   AND   BABY 


profoundly  appreciative  and  everlastingly  grate- 
ful we  are  to  our  host  and  hostess:  to  our  host, 
for  his  wisdom  in  counsel,  his  strength  in  our 
anxiety,  his  sacrifice  of  self-interest,  and  his 
large  minded  nobility  in  providing  for  our 
comfort;  to  our  hostess,  for  the  prudence  and 
courage  manifested  in  the  first  days  of  the  crisis, 
for  the  charming  sweetness  and  delightful  grace 
with  which  she  has  reigned  so  queenly  over  us  all 
as  one  large  family. 


Portrait    by   A.    Bcnxigcr 

MRS.    H.    J.    LUTCHER 

of    Orange,    Texas 

WITH    GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER 

May  the  Almighty  and  Eternal  Father  bless 
our  host  and  hostess  with  length  of  days  in  all 
prosperity  and  every  happiness! 

Brunnen,  21st.  August,  1914. 
(signed) 

John  Cardinai,  Farley,  Arbp..  N.  Y. 

John  Edwards,  V.  G. 

P.  J.  Hayes,  Bp.  Elect,  of  Tagaste 

Thomas  G.  Carroll,  Secy. 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziijur 

MRS.   X.   AND   DAUGHTER 


Portrait    by  A.   Benxiger 

MISS    HELEN    HATFIELD 
of  New  York 

34 


Portrait    by   A.    Benxigcr 

MRS.   E.   W.    BROWN 
of  Orange,  Texas 


Portrait  by  A.  Bensiger 

MRS.  JOHN  B.  SEMELE 
of    Sewickley,    Pa. 


Portrait  'by  A.  Benziger 

MRS.  R.  A.  MOORE 
of   Orange,   Texas 


Portrait  hy  A.  Benziger 
MISS    MARIBEL    SCHUMACHER 
of    Columbus,    Ohio 


Portrait  ly  A.  Benziger 

PRINCESS   DULEEP-SINGH 
Of  London  and   India.     Daughter   of  the  King  of 
Lahore,  owner  of  the  famous  Koh-i-noor  Diamond 
which    was   presented   by   him    to    Queen    Victoria. 
It    is    now    to    be    seen    in    the   Tower    of    London 


Portrait  hy  A.  Benziyer 


Bellamy  Storer 
Maria  Longworth  Storer 
Lucy  C.  B.  Heuston 
Alice  M.  Wheeler 
Laurie  McGloine 
Florence  C.  Peck 
Virginia  W.  Campbell 
Edith  D.  Borg 
Elsie  B.  Goldsmith 
Alfred  Goldsmith 
Frances  M.  Hyde 
Clara  Babbitt  Hyde 
May  a.  Downey 
A.  J.  Farley 
Frances  S.  Breese 
Eleanor  LeRoy 
P.  H.  Lannan 
Virginia  M.  Tanner 
Hedwig  Stursberg 
Jus.  a.  Stursberg 
John  S.  Tanner 
Minnie  Stursberg 
J.  H.  Ernshaw 
Mrs.  Ernshaw 
Edgar  Richards 
Anna  H.  Hopkins 
Julie  H.  Stursberg 
Lillia  B.  Hyde 
Charles  C.  Harris 
Alice  Stursberg 
Jerome  H.  Buck 
J.  M.  Hopkins,  Jr. 
Rhoda  van  B.  Tanner 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

MISS  KATHARINE  SCHU1SL\CHER 
of  Columbus,  Ohio 


Marquis  Pierre  de  Chambrun,  member  of  the 
French  Chamber  of  Deputies,  and  lineal  de- 
scendant of  Marquis   de   Lafayette;    who  ac- 


companied Marshall  JofTre  to  America,  was 
amongst  the  above  mentioned,  with  his  entire 
family,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war 


36 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

MRS.    KOCH-FINSLER 

of   Zurich,    Switzerland 

Extracts  from  Testimonial 

Letters  about 
Mr.  Benziger's  Portraits 

Letter    of   the   Swiss    Minister    to    Vice- 
President  Hobart 

Washington,  D.  C,  May  24,  1897. 
Hon.  Garret  A.  Hobart,  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States. 

Dear  Sir: — • 

I  take  the  liberty  to  introduce  to  you  and  to 
recommend  to  your  kindness  Mr.  A.  Benziger,  a 
Swiss  painter,  who  through  his  art  does  honor  to 
his  country.  In  so  doing  he  follows  the  old 
traditions  of  his  family  that  takes  a  prominent 
place  in  Switzerland  in  public  hfe  as  well  as  in 
the  manufacturing  world.  By  any  kindness  that 
you  may  be  able  to  show  this  gentleman,  whose 
ability  and  merit  in  his  art  have  been  amply 
recognized  in  my  country,  you  will  highly  oblige 
Your  respectful  and  obedient, 

J.  B.  PlODA. 


Vice-President  Garret  A.  Hobart  to  Secre- 
tary Cortelyou 

Paterson,  N.  J.,  September  30,  1897. 
Dear  Mr.  Cortelyou:— 

The  bearer  herewith  is  Mr.  A.  Benziger,  the 
Swiss    artist,    for    whom    President    McKinley 


agreed  to  sit  for  a  portrait.  He  has  painted 
mine  and  I  am  satisfied  that  he  is  an  artist  of 
wonderful  capacity.  I  will  thank  you  to  arrange 
with  the  President  for  such  a  time  as  he  can 
arrange  to  sit  for  him  under  the  arrangements 
made  between  Mr.  Porter,  Mr.  Benziger  and 
the  President,  last  July. 

Yours  very  truly. 

Garret  A.  Hobart. 


Professor    H.     A^igst,     Director    of    the 

National  Museum,  Zurich, 

Switzerland 

"  Your  Morgan  portrait  is  a  masterpiece  that 
should  be  placed  in  a  public  gallery." 


Monsieur  Jtdes   Meline,   Former   Prime 
Minister  of  France 

"Toutes  nos  felicitations,  votre  portrait  du 
Saint  Pere  est  un  chef-d'oeuvre  de  finesse  et  de 
vie." 


Mr.  David  T.  Watson  of  Pittsburgh,  whose 
collection,  one  of  the  finest  in  this  country,  was 
recently  sold,  was  asked  to  pass  on  Mr.  Benzig- 
er's portraits,  and  declared  them  to  be  "the 
finest  portraits  he  had  seen  in  over  ten  years." 


Portrait   by  A.   Benziger 

MISS  EDITH  TENER 
Sewickley,   Pa. 


37 


Portrait   hy  A.   Benzigrr 

PROFESSOR   JOHN   MEIGS 
One   of   America's   most    successful    educators    and 
headmaster    of    the    Hill    School,    Pottstown,    Pa. 


Portrait   hy  A.   Bemirjer 

JAMES  HOWELL  CUMMINGS 
of  Philadelphia 
President  of  the  Stetson  Hospital;  trustee  of  the 
estate  of  John  B.  Stetson  and  Penn  Mutual  Life 
Ins.  Co. ;  director.  Bank  of  North  America,  Guar- 
antee Co.  of  North  America,  Eben  Harding 
Company 


Portrait   hy   A.    licnxigcr 

U.    T.    HUNGERFORD 

of    New    York 

Of   the   Brass  and   Copper  Co.   which   bears   his 


Portrait  iy  A.   Benziger 

JOHN    MARKLE 
of    New   York 
Banker   and    owner   of  the   G.    B.    Markle   Anthra- 
cite Coal  Co.   and   builder  of  the  Jeddo  Tunnel 


38 


I'ortniit   1)1/   A.   IIOKifier 

MICHAEL  JENKINS 
of  Baltimore 
Painted  for  the  Safe  Deposit  and  Trust  Co.,  of 
which  he  was  President;  also  Chairman  of  the 
Board  Merchants  &  Miners  Transportation  Co. 
and  one  of  the  chief  owners  of  the  Atlantic  Coast 
Line  R.  R.  Trustee  of  the  Catholic  University 
of  America  and  trustee  of  Peabody  Institution, 
and  together  with  Andrew  Carnegie  donated  the 
site    and    buildings    for    Maryland    Institution 


Portrait   by  A.  Benziger 

GEORGE  C.  JENKINS 

of    Baltimore 

Director   of   the   Atlantic   Coast   Line  R.   R. 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

GEORGE   S.   BREWSTER 
of    New    York 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 


ROBERT   S.   BREWSTER 
of    New   York 


39 


Portrait  iy  A.  Bemiger 

ROBERT  S.  BROOKINGS 
Head  of  the  War  Svipplies  Purchasing  Committee 
for  the  Allies.  President  of  Washington  Uni- 
versity, St.  Louis,  and  director  of  the  Peace  Fund 
Commission.  Director  of  the  St.  Louis  Museum 
of    Art 


Portrait   by  A.  Bemiger 

THEODORE  ROOSEVELT 
Ordered   for   the   Chicago   Historical   Museum 


Portrait   by  A.   Bemiger 

JUDGE   VICTOR   J.    DOWLING 

Justice    of    the    Supreme    Court    of    New    York. 

Painted  for  the  Manhattan  Club 


Portrait   by  A.   Benziger 

CHARLES   HOMER   RUDDOCK 

Whose  son,  Mr.  Albert  Ruddock,  was  Secretary  of 

the   American    Embassy   in    Berlin.      Mr.    Ruddock 

makes  his  home  in   New   York 


Portrait   61/  .4.   Benziger 

GENERAL  LUKE  E.   WRIGHT 

Formerly    governor    of    the    Philippines,    Secretary 
of   War   under   Roosevelt   and   first   American   am- 
bassador   to    Japan 


Portrait  ty  A.  Benziger 
THE   LATE   SENATOR   SHELBY   M.   CULLOM 
Who  sat  for  his  portrait  in  the  Senate  during  his 
last    term,    being    then    in    his    eighty-third    year. 
The  painting  was  ordered  for  the  Foreign  Affairs 

Committee   room  at  the   Capitol  at   Washington 


Portrait  ty  A.  Benziger 

RICHARD    CROKER 

Celebrated     Tammany     leader,     painted     for     the 

Democratic    Club,    Fifth    Avenue,    New    York 


Portrait  ty  A.  Benziger 

ALBERT   S.   CALDWELL 
A  prominent  banker  of  Memphis,  Tennessee 


41 


Mr.  James  Phinney  Baxter  of  Portland, 
Maine,  About  His  Own  Portrait 

"The  portrait  has  been  greatl}'  admired. 
The  expression  always  is  'wonderful.'  Mrs. 
Clinton  Baxter  was  so  delighted  after  looking  at 
it  that  she  said,  'It  is  uncanny:  the  eyes  are  alive.' 

"I  think  this  is  probably  as  good  a  criticism 
as  I  have  ever  heard  of  an  artist's  work. 

"Perhaps  you  may  remember  the  expression 
Roubillac  made  in  Westminster  Abbey,  when  he 
stood  before  the  sculptured  figure  of  De  Vere. 
A  man  standing  near  him  rather  obtrusively 
interrupted  his  meditations  by  saying  'Tell  me 
what  you  think  of  it?'  'Hush,'  said  Roubillac, 
'he  is  about  to  speak.'  And  this  is  the  impres- 
sion that  your  portrait  makes  on  people." 


marvelously  successful  work,  not  onlj-  of  the 
brush,  but  of  the  controUing  mind  and  soul 
which  must  be  in  the  brush  in  order  to  make 
significant  the  work  of  an  artist.  I  have  never 
forgotten  some  of  the  things  you  told  me  many 
years  ago  as  we  sat  at  the  table  on  board  the  old 
Fuerst  Bismarck,  when  you  were  coming  to  this 
country  to  paint  the  portrait  of  the  late  Presi- 
dent McKinlej'.  You  told  me  then  that  a  por- 
trait must  be  a  picture  not  only  of  a  man's  body, 
but  also  as  far  as  possible  of  his  soul  as  expressed 
through  his  body. 

I  have  frequently  had  occasion  to  mention 
that  great  principle  of  portrait  painting 
when  speaking  on  fine  arts  to  my  University 
classes. 


Portrait  by  A 


MASTERS    THAW    COLLINS 
Sewickley,    Pa. 


Mr.  Percival  Baxter  Writes  of  His  Father's 
Portrait 

"My  father  has  given  me  your  portrait  of 
him  and  I  feel  under  obligation  to  you  quite  as 
much  as  to  him.  It  gave  me  much  pleasure  to 
loan  it  to  the  Art  Society  so  that  father's  friends 
and  others  may  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  a 
truly  wonderful  portrait.  There  has  been  nothing 
in  Portland  that  can  equal  or  even  approach  it. 

"Personally,  I  consider  it  was  a  great  privi- 
lege to  have  had  you  paint  it.  My  father  and 
I  have  always  been  most  intimate,  more  so  than 
perhaps  is  usual  even  between  father  and 
son.  It  will  always  be  my  most  cherished 
possession." 

•*,    »•«    ,*, 

Joshua  H.  Penniman,  Vice-Provost,  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania 
As  a  work  of  art   Prof.   Brashear's  portrait 
possesses  the  wonderful  characteristics  of  your 


Worcester  R.  Warner, 
a  Director  of  the  Art 
Museum,  Cleveland,  to 
Prof.  Brashear 

"The  picture  is  a  splen- 
did one,  and  if  anyone  did 
not  know  you  personally, 
the  picture  would  make 
them  well  acquainted  with 
you,  without  any  further 
introduction,  in  fact  I  have 
never  seen  a  portrait  that 
seemed  to  me  to  indicate 
the  soul  and  nature  of  the 
man  as  well  as  this  does. 
I  heartily  congratulate  the 
Carnegie  Gallery,  which  I 
presume  will  in  the  near 
future  count  this  picture  as 
one  of  its  best  acquisitions." 


Charles  Walcott,  Secre- 
tary and  Head  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution, 
Washington,  D.  C,  to 
Professor  Brashear 

"I  have  just  received  the  photograph  of  your 
portrait  by  Benziger.  It  is  fine  and  I  congratu- 
late you  upon  having  been  so  fortunate  in  se- 
curing so  good  a  likeness  of  yourself. 

"I  will  retain  the  photograph  and  place  it  in 
the  collection  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution 
among  the  American  Scientific  men. 

"I  often  look  at  the  unfortunate  paintings,  to 
say  the  least,  of  the  former  Secretaries  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution.  In  view  of  this  I  am 
thinking  of  having  a  portrait  painted  and  in  this 
connection  wish  to  ask  if  you  can  give  me 
Benziger's  addrei^s?" 


Col.  Thomas  P.  Roberts,  U.  S.  Engineer, 
Pittsburgh,  to  Professor  Brashear 

"It  is  a  wonderfully  fine  reproduction,  the  like 
I  never  saw  before.  Its  lights  and  shades  call 
to  mind  the  work  of  Rembrandt;  but  what  most 
will  please  your  friends,  is  the  wonderful  and 


42 


'speaking'  likeness  of 
yourself  it  presents,  not 
only  in  feature,  but  in 
pose,  with  surround- 
ings so  characteristic  of 
your  life's  work. 

"I  have  seen  no  other 
specimen  of  Benziger's 
work,  and  in  fact  was 
not  aware  that  such 
capable  artists  ever  vis- 
ited this  country.  Mr. 
Schwab  must  have 
known  him  well  and 
selected  him  to  paint 
his  own  and  Pitts- 
burgh's best  known 
friend.  I  hope  some 
time  Mr.  Schwab  will 
permit  the  original  to  be 
e.xhibited  here.  There 
are  few  such  canvases 
to  be  seen  anywhere." 


His  Eminence  Car- 
dinal Farley  to  Mr. 
Benziger,  December 
31,  1914 

"The  wonderful 
sketch  of  our  present 
Holy    Father   and  the 

handsome  frame  which  sets  it  off  so  well,  I  have 
hung  in  the  parlor  under  the  Baldacchino  which 
formerly  sheltered  the  portrait  of  Pius  Tenth. 

"This  and  the  portrait  of  myself  are  much  ad- 
mired and  I  feel  that  both  do  you  honor." 


Portrait   bp  A.  Benziger 

M.   LEON  BOURGEOIS 

Former    Prime    Minister    of    France    and    one    of 

the  leading   members   of   the   present   Cabinet 


Mr.  C.  C.  Shriver  of 
Baltimore,  December 
1,  1909,  About  Car- 
dinal Gibbons'  Por- 
trait 

"This  morning  His 
Eminence  called;  and 
together  we  went  to 
the  gallery  to  see  the 
picture.  It  is  indeed 
admirable;  the  best  por- 
trait of  His  Eminence 
in  existence  as  far  as 
my  judgment    goes. 

"I  understand  Mr. 
Michael  Jenkins  who 
called  there  this  morn- 
ing shares  in  the  same 
appreciation  of  it. 

"His  Eminence  was 
quite  dehghted  with  it 
and  said  it  was  to  him 
a  most  satisfactory 
likeness.  I  am  sure  it 
will  please  every  one 
who  knows  His  Emi- 
nence in  the  city  be- 
cause of  its  faithful 
presentation  of  himljin 
his  best  expression." 


Mr.  McKay  Van  Vleet  of  Memphis,  Tenn. 

"The  longer  I  look  at  father's  portrait  'the 
more  it  grows  on  me.  It  is  a  wonderful  like- 
ness." 


THE    SEVEN    PRESIDENTS 


President   Deucher   of   Swtizerland,   sitliiij,    lui    ;.io   pjilrait   in   Mr.    i:_i._ 
studio  in   Brunnen,   Switzerland 


Rev.   R.   J.   Haberlin,  Secretary  to  His 

Eminence  Cardinal  O'Connell,  Boston, 

May  11,  1917 

"  His  Eminence,  the  Cardinal,  directs  me  to  say 
that  the  portrait  which  you  painted  photo- 
graphed wonderfully  well. 


Portrait  by  A.  Bensiger 

MRS.  CHARLES  S.  KEITH 

Wife   of   Charles    S.    Keith,   a   prominent    business 

man  of  Kansas  City,   Missouri 


"His  Eminence  also  says  that  he  wishes  to  con- 
gratulate you  on  the  splendid  work  which  you 
have  done  on  the  portrait,  that  it  is  nothing 
short  of  a  wonderful  painting,  and  that  you  have 
every  reason  to  be  proud  of  it." 


Mr.  George  E.  Tener  of  Pittsburgh  to  a 
Friend,  May  19,  1906 

"I  want  you  to  meet  Benziger,  for  you  and 
I^  will  some  day  be  glad  to  look  back  with 
pleasure  to  the  day  we  met  one  of  the  very  great 
men  of  our  time." 


General  George  H.  Wood,  Dayton,  Ohio 

"I  think  that  you  have  been  most  successful 
n  the  creation  of  pictures  that  can  do  every- 
thing but  talk. 

"I  know  very  well  that  whenever  I  look  at  your 
picture  of  my  dear  good  father,  that  I  almost 
expect  to  see  the  lips  open  and  hear  again  the 
voice  that  I  know  so  well." 


Mr.    George   Allen   of  Philadelphia 

"I  assure  you  I  am  delighted  with  the  paint- 
ings. Everyone  who  sees  mine  says  there  never 
was  another  such  picture  painted,  it  is  pro- 
nounced simply  a  grand  picture.  My  daughter 
says  she  often  thinks  it  will  speak.  All  who 
view  Mrs.  Allen's  and  Baby's,  say  it  is  mag- 
nificent. I  often  steal  a  moment  or  two  myself 
to  view  it.  I  would  not  be  without  it,  I  assure 
you  I  am  more  than  pleased." 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

J.  L.  LOOSE 
President    of    the    Loose-Wiles    Biscuit    Company 


Mrs.  George  R.  Balch  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Writes    About    Her    Son's    Portrait 

"We  are  delighted  with  the  picture  of  De- 
Witt.  It  is  so  much  Hke  him  that  I  feel  it  could 
speak.     It  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  me." 


Captain  John  Hudson  Poole  of  Detroit, 
Mich.,  About  His  Father's  Portrait 

"Your  portrait  of  my  father  is  a  wonderful 
likeness  as  well  as  a  strong  and  impressive  por- 
trait.    It  has  been  greatly  admired." 

44 


Mrs.  F.  F.  Bowman  of  Madison,  Wis., 

About  Her  Father,  Col.  D.  C.  Poolers 

Portrait 

"I  have  intended  writing  myself  to  tell  you 
how  delighted  we  all  are  with  the  portrait  and 
what  a  wonderful  likeness  everyone  tliinks  it  is. 
I  feel  as  if  father  were  right  there  in  the  room  all 
the  time,  and  realize  how  we  shall  treasure  the 
portrait  more  and  more.  Many  thanks  for 
your  work  that  will  be  an  everlasting  pleasure 
to  us.  We  enjoy  it  more  and  more  every  day, 
and  the  likeness  is  certainly  wonderful." 


Mr.   Robert  S.    Brewster   of  New    York, 
About  His  Own  Portrait 

"It  must  be  a  satisfaction  to  you  to  know  that 
not  only  is  my  wife  very  much  pleased  with  it, 
but  all  who  have  seen  it  hke  it  immensely." 


Mrs.    Harrie    P.    Clegg,    Dayton,    Ohio, 
About  Her  Father-in-law's  Portrait 

"We  have  Mr.  Clegg's  portrait  with  us  now, 
and  we  are  delighted.     I  am  sure  you  would  be 


Portrait  by  A.  Bensiger 

M.    K.    McMULLIN 
A  prominent  industrial  and  financier  of  Pittsburgh 


Portrait  by  A.  Benzigcr 

HENRY   PHIPPS 
Connected    with    the    Du    Pont    Powder    Co.,    Car- 
negie    Steel    Co.,     Mellon     National     Bank,    Pitts- 
burgh,  trustee   Johns   Hopkins   University 


pleased  could  you  hear  some  of  the  expressions 
of  our  friends  who  have  seen  it;  everyone  with- 
out e.xception  has  spoken  of  the  wonderful  like- 
ness and  particularly  of  the  remarkable 
expression  of  the  eyes." 


Mrs.  Post  of  St.  Louis  about  Her  Cousin, 

General  Stewart  L.  Woodford's 

Portrait 

"I  know  so  well  the  possibilities  and  strength 
of  his  expression  and  nothing  could  be  finer 
than  the  way  you  have  given  to  the  world  both 
his  mentality  and  his  spirituality." 


Prof.  John  A.   Brashear  of  Pittsburgh, 
About  His  Own  Portrait 

"Mr.  Schwab  was  simply  dehghted  with  the 
portrait,  and  so  was  Mrs.  Schwab.  I  want  to 
see  the  picture  again,  as  I  can  see  the  startling 
likeness  before  me  as  I  think  of  your  splendid 

work." 


Miss    McGowan    of   Indianapolis,    Ind. 
About  Her  Parents'  Portraits 

"We  are  so  happy  to  have  the  portraits,  and 
we  are  very,  very  pleased  with  them,  as  is  every 
one  that  sees  them.  They  are  wonderful,  and 
sometimes  I  feel  father  should  speak  to  me  from 
his  portrait." 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

MRS.    A.    BENZIGER 


Portrait  by  A.  Bensiger 

DEWiITT  BALCH 
of  Cincinnati,  Ohio 


Portrait  by  A.  Bensiger 

WILLIS   SHARPE  KILMER  AND   FATHER 
Binghamton,   N.   Y. 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

GEORGE  ALLEN 
Philadelphia,   Pa. 


46 


Mrs.  John  Hudson  Poole  of  Detroit,  Mich.. 
About  Her  Husband's  Portrait 

"I  want  to  send  you  just  a  little  word  to  tell 
you  again  how  happy  I  am  in  the  possession  of 
the  splendid  portrait  of  Captain  Poole.  It  is 
perfect — and  a  constantly  increasing  joy  to  me 
each  time  I  see  it. 

"Everyone  who  sees  it  agrees  that  it  is  a  most 
excellent  portrait  and  a  very  characteristic 
attitude." 


Portrait  T)y  A.  Benziger. 

IRA  NELSON  MORRIS 
U.  S.  Minister  to  Sweden 

FrojH  Mr.  Fred.  H.  Bendig  to  Mr.  W.  L. 
Glatfelter  of  York,  Pa. 

"I  was  in  Mr.  Benziger's  studio  yesterday. 
Thanks  to  what  you  said  to  him  of  me,  I  was 
received  most  cordially,  which  would  have  been 
a  great  embarrassment  if  his  work  was  open  to 
criticism  on  my  part,  but  such  is  not  the  case. 
The  picture  of  your  father  is  not  alone  an  ex- 
cellent likeness  from  every  point  of  view,  but  is 
also  a  work  of  art  of  great  merit;  a  work  of  art 
which  would  interest  even  a  person  who  did  not 
know  your  father,  and  that  is  the  best  test  of  a 
portrait.  A  likeness  you  can  get  by  photo- 
graphs, but  the  expression  of  the  soul  and 
character  is  only  in  rare  instances  conveyed  by 
the  photographer's  work. 

"That  Mr.  Benziger  succeeded  from  the  scant 
material  which  he  had  to  work  with  in  giving  the 
proper  characteristics  and  expression  of  the 
modest  nobility  which  was  your  father's  own,  all 
his  lifetime,  is  the  intuition  of  a  great  painter. 
Having  known  your  father  for  nearly  a  lifetime 
I  am  entitled  to  express  an  opinion  as  to  whether 
the  painting  is  a  good  portrait  in  all  the  word 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

GOVERNOR   JOHN   K.   TENER 
of  Pennsylvania 


implies,  that  is  a  representation  of  the  physical 
features  and  expression  of  the  mind. 

"Allow  me  to  congratulate  you,  your  fam- 
ily, and  myself  that  you  have  succeeded 
in  retaining,  in  a  practically  permanent 
form,  the  memories  which  we  all  have  of  your 
father." 


Portrait  by  A.  Benziger 

DR.  HARTMAN 
of  Columbus,   Ohio 


Portrait  by  A.  Bensiger  Copyrighted. 

CHARLES  M.   SCHWAB 

The  genius  of  the  steel  magnates.      Former  president  of  the  United  States  Steel 

Corporation   and   present   owner   of   the   Bethlehem    Steel   Company 


SUMMER  RESIDENCE  AND   STUDIO  OF  A.   BENZIGER   IN    BRl^NNEN   ON  THE   LAKE   (• 

LUCERNE,  SWITZERLAND 

48 


WYNKOOP   HALLENBECK    CR 


